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Heroes ahd Heroines 

of the Cross 








































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DAVID LIVINGSTONE 

GENERAL 


WILLIAM 


ADONTRAM JUDSON, 
BOOTH 


JR. 


WILLIAM TAYLOR 


ROBERT MOFFAT 













Heroes and Heroines 
of the Cross 


===== OR ===== 

One Hundred Thrilling Life Stories 
of Gospel Service and Sacrifice 


y 


BY 


J. MARTIN £OHDE, A. M„ 

Author of “Joy of Prayer” “God and Government,” 
of Providence,” "Our Coming Lord.” 


‘Wonders 


FOREWORDS BY 

Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan 
and 

Ex-Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks 


INTRODUCTION BY 

REV. S. H. WAINRIGHT, D. D„ 

Twenty Years a Missionary in the Orient , Present Secretary and 
Editor of the Permanent Committee on Christian 
Literature in Japan 


published by 

THE GLAD TIDINGS PUBLISHING CO., 
602 Lakeside Building, Chicago, III. 













Copyright , 1914 

BY 

J. Martin Rohde, A. M. 


#.*;•> 

JUN301914 


$ 

©CI.A37G512 


ALPHABETICAL INDEX 


B Page 

Barton, Clara . 17 

Boardman, George Dana.. 17-21 

Booth, General William.. 21- 25 

Booth, Catherine . 25-27 

Boxer, Hero-Martyrs - 27- 31 

Brainerd, David . 31- 35 

Butler, William . 35- 38 

Bunyan, John . 38- 43 

Bumby, Thomas . 43- 47 

C 

Cameron, Richard . 47-49 

Cargill, Donald . 49-53 

Cargill, Mrs. Margaret... 53- 57 

Carey, William . 57- 63 

Chamberlain, Jacob. 63- 67 

Chestnut, Eleanor . 67- 70 

Coan, Titus . 70-72 

Coke, Bishop Thomas- 72- 78 

Cox, Melville Beveridge... 78- 81 

Crowther, Samuel Adjai.. 81- 83 


D 

Daehne, Louis. 83-85 

Davis, William . 85- 87 

Dyer, John L. 87- 89 

Duff, Alexander. 89-95 

E 

Egede, Hans . 95-98 

Eliot, John. 98-100 

Evans, James . 100-1C3 

G 

Gardiner, Captain Allen.. 103-110 

Geddie, John . 110-112 

Gilmore, James . 112-118 

Gordon, General C. G. ... 118-122 

Grenfell, Dr. Wilfred. 122-127 


H Page 

Hadley, Samuel Hopkins.. 127-130 

Hamlin, Cyrus . 130-137 

Hannington, James . 137-139 

Higgins, Susan B.139-140 

Hoole, Elijah . 140-143 

Hotchkiss, Willis R.143-147 

Hunt, John . 147-151 

I 

Ingle, James Addison.151-153 

J 

Jogues, Father Isaac.... 153-155 

Johnson, Lizzie L.156-159 

Johnson, William A. B. .. 160-164 
Judson, Adoniram, Jr. .. 164-170 

K 

Kapiolani . 171-173 

Kekela, James . 174-178 

Kieth-Falconer, Ion .178-182 

Krapf, John Ludwig _182-185 

Knibb, William . 185-187 

L 

Lawry, Walter .187-189 

Livingstone, David.189-196 

Lovejoy, Elijah P. 196-200 

Luther, Martin. 200-204 


M 

Mackay, Alexander M. .. 204-210 
Mackay, George Leslie ... 210-216 
Mackenzie, John Kenneth 216-22! 


M’Millan, Carrie L. 221-224 

McAuley, Jerry . 224-226 

Martyn, Henry . 227-232 

Marsden, Samuel . 232-238 

Moffat, Robert . 238-242 

Moister, William. 243-216 

Morrison, Robert. 246-252 

Mueller, George. 252-258 

















































N Page 

Nassau, Dr, Robert H. ... 259-261 
Neesima, Joseph Hardy... 261-267 
Nevius, John Livingston.. 267-273 

Newell, Harriet . 273-278 

Nightingale, Florence_ 278-282 

i 

P 

Paton, John G. 283-284 

Patteson, Bishop John C. 285-290 

Peck, John Mason. 291-294 

Peden, Alexander. 294-296 

Piercy, George . 297-301 

R 

Rappard, Inspector C. H. 301-305 

Reed, Mary . 305-310 

Richards, Henry .311-313 

Rowe, Peter Trimble.313-315 

S 

Scudder, Mrs. John.315-316 

Schwartz, Christian Fred¬ 
eric . 317-319 

Schmidt, John Henry_ 320-321 

Seys, John . 322-323 

Shaw, Barnabas . 324-327 


Page 

Stewart, Harriet B. 327-331 

Sparkes, Fannie J. 331-332 

Swain, Clara . 333-335 

T 

Taylor, William. 336-341 

Taylor, J. Hudson . 342-344 

Thoburn, Isabella. 344-349 

Thobum, James Mills. 350-353 

Turner, Nathaniel. 354-359 


V 

Verbeck, Guido Fridolin.. 359-261 


W 

Wesley, John . 361-362 

Whately, Mary Louisa .. 363-365 
Whipple, Henry Benj. .. 366-368 

Whitman, Marcus . 369-370 

Wilkins, Ann . 370-371 

Wilson, Margaret . 371-375 

Wilson, Captain . 375-377 

Williams, John .37 7-384 

Z 

Zinzendorf, Count. 384-386 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 


Page 

David Livingstone, Adoniram Judson, General Booth, 

William Taylor and Robert Moffat. 1 

Richard Cameron’s Prayer Before the Battle of Ayr’s 

Moss . 32 

Grenfell and His Esquimo Dogs. 96 

Lovejoy Monument, Alton, Illinois . 176 

Dr. Morrison and His Chinese Assistants . 208 

Catherine Booth, Isabella Thoburn, Mary Louisa What¬ 
ley, Eleanor Chestnut and Clara Barton. 224 




































FOREWORD 


The noble records of the “Heroes and Heroines of 
the Cross” are object lessons of service and sacrifice 
that should be emulated and commemorated to inspire 
Christian hearts with zeal and enthusiasm for Gospel 
warfare and missionary enterprise through coming ages. 

My interest in Christian missions dates back to the 
days of my childhood. Having been a church member 
from the age of fourteen, and having taken an interest 
in church matters, I had contributed to foreign mis¬ 
sions, as to other branches of Christian activity, and 
had heard numerous addresses by missionaries respect¬ 
ing the work done in the foreign field. In planning a 
trip through Asia I had intended to visit a mission sta¬ 
tion for the purpose of informing myself as to the en¬ 
vironment of the missionary and as to the details of the 
work; circumstances, however, very much enlarged my 
opportunity for observation, and as one who has gone 
over and viewed the foreign mission fields I feel that I 
am only performing my duty when I endeavor by this 
Foreword to convey to the minds of the readers of this 
volume the impression made upon my mind by what I 
saw in the Orient. 

The missionaries, Protestant and Catholic, are to be 
found all over Asia. I found several departments of 
work fully organized. The missionaries are building 

7 


8 


FOREWORD 


churches and increasing the number of congregations. 
I attended church at several places and was impressed 
with the earnestness of the native Christians. Japan, it 
seems to me, furnishes a great field for missionary work, 
and Korea is scarcely second to it. In China the native 
Christians showed, during the Boxer trouble, a heroism 
which equalled that displayed by the early Christians. 

The medical missionaries are increasing in number 
and they are doing a very important work. The aid 
which they render is of a kind that challenges attention, 
and when natives know that the medical missionary is 
actuated by love rather than by a desire for gain, they 
inquire into the source of his love and the reason for its 
manifestation. 

1 The American College is also a potent influence for 
good. These schools spring up about the missionary sta¬ 
tions and are constantly growing in attendance and in 
influence. I followed an unbroken chain of them for 
some six thousand miles from the Pacific to the Medi¬ 
terranean. I looked into the faces of hundreds, yes thou¬ 
sands, of boys and girls taught by Americans or by teach¬ 
ers paid with American money, and I rejoiced that, if our 
country can not boast that the sun never sets upon its 
possessions, it has a prouder boast, namely, that the sun 
never sets upon its philanthropy. Before the sun goes 
down on one center of civilization established by Ameri¬ 
can money, it rises upon another, and the boundaries of 
these centers of civilization are constantly enlarging; 
after a while the boundaries will meet and when the 
Orient is redeemed, America will deserve a large share of 
credit. One cannot measure the far-reaching good that 
these schools are doing. When we calculate the impres¬ 
sion that a life can make upon a nation, and then remem¬ 
ber that thousands are instructed in these schools and 


FOREWORD 


9 


go out from them to touch the lives and hearts of the 
people of the Orient, who will attempt to estimate the 
total good done? Infinite opportunities open before each 
teacher and each one who contributes to the work has 
a part in the result. 


Lincoln, Neb. 


W. J. BRYAN. 


10 


FOREWORD 


There are heroes and heroines of peace as well as of 
war, and their services and virtues are as worthy of being 
emulated and their memories of being perpetuated as 
those who labored and sacrificed in the camp, upon the 
march and upon the battlefields where men struggled for 
the mastery. Our imaginations are always fired by the 
spectacular demonstration of physical power; nothing 
more quickly arouses our enthusiasm and stirs the blood 
than an appeal to the sword. Our missionaries who 
voluntarily put aside the comforts of home, the com¬ 
panionship of friends, to go among a people alien to 
them and often inhospitable, have exhibited as fine a type 
of physical bravery as that shown by those who marched 
against the pitiless hail of war. 

No one >can read this book without a sense of obliga¬ 
tion to the author, and a renewed appreciation of the 
fact that the men and women whose deeds and services 
are herein recalled are entitled to the honorable rank of 
heroes and heroines; for they wrought wondrously in the 
ways of peace with a superb devotion and a high order 
of moral and physical courage in the sublime cause of 
mankind. 

We do not need to go back of the Boxer rebellion in 
China to find cumulative evidence of the heroism of our 
missionaries when confronted by great peril. Many of 
them faced danger with undaunted courage and many of 
them with uncomplaining lips suffered martyrdom. I 
have seen the crumbled walls of their homes—the fruit 
of savagery and superstition. They are mute but 
striking evidence of some of the dangers which confront¬ 
ed the brave little band of men and women who went 
out into the world, bearing aloft the torch of Christian 
civilization. 


FOREWORD 


11 


Our home missionary field also has afforded oppor¬ 
tunity for the display of the qualities that make heroes 
and heroines. How many men and women have given 
abundant proof of their consecration and devotion to 
their fellowmen in the home missionary field! They 
have gone into the depths of our humanity, amidst pov¬ 
erty and disease and distress and have patiently toiled 
for the redemption of their fellows. They have worked 
arduously and sacrificed freely in behalf of the less for¬ 
tunate. 

All honor to those who have offered themselves upon 
the sacrificial altar of duty in the cause of liberty and 
republican government! All honor also to the heroes 
and heroines of the Cross, who have labored in the mis¬ 
sionary fields abroad and at home, with a spirit of su¬ 
preme personal sacrifice and of unsurpassed moral and 
physical bravery, with no thought of winning the world's 
applause, hoping and praying only that they might com¬ 
mand the "Well Done Thou Good and Faithful Ser¬ 
vant" of the Master. 

I take great pleasure in commending this book to the 
wide and increasing circle of those who are interested in 
the missionary movement. It not only does simple justice 
to the memories of a noble group of men and women—but 
it emphasizes the missionary cause, which is of tran¬ 
scendent importance throughout the world. The author 
has made us all his grateful debtors. 

Indianapolis, Indiana. CHARLES W. FAIRBANKS. 


INTRODUCTION 


The author has rendered a valuable service in the 
preparation of this work. The material has been care¬ 
fully selected, from a wide field, and is rich in illustra¬ 
tions of “Gospel service and sacrifice.” The instances 
chosen are of a superior character and are such as have 
affirmed in extraordinary undertakings the aspirations 
and hopes of the Christian Church. 

The volume contains an account in succinct form of 
those whom the author calls “Heroes and Heroines of 
the Cross.” Such an appellation, as applied to the men 
and women whose deeds are recounted, is not inappro¬ 
priate. It is said that the paths made by Livingstone, 
in his travels in Africa, take the form of the cross on 
the face of that great continent. Clara Barton, through 
the Red Cross Society, an organization whose object is 
to care for the sick and the wounded, has made the 
cross of Christ familiar to more people than any person 
living in our day, or possibly in any other day. There 
are a million members of the Red Cross Society in Japan, 
including persons in the Imperial household, to most of 
whom the cross has become familiar, before the story 
of the Christ has been heard. 

In heroism we come to the very marrow of history. 
In the heroic achievements of those the story of whose 
lives is told here we discover that which is most es¬ 
sential in the life of our day. These lives are a splen¬ 
did testimony to modern Christianity. For there can be 

12 


INTRODUCTION 


13 


no greater evidence of the vitality of religion than in 
its power to create spiritual heroes. In the great wealth 
and variety of heroic service it is made clear that the 
Church has responded generously to the claims of Christ 
in this modern period of its history. In fact, the Church 
has poured out its life for the nations in our times. Our 
age has risen to the level of any other age in the embodi¬ 
ment of Christian ideals of sacrifice and service. 

These lives thus bear witness to the reality of the 
Church’s faith and to the continued presence of the 
Spirit immanent in the early Church, the author of diver¬ 
sities of gifts and the inspirer of Pentecostal fervor and 
power. 

SAMUEL H. WAINWRIGHT. 

Tokio, Japan* 


CLARA BARTON 

Founder of the Red Cross Order 

Doubtless the Red Cross Society, under Clara Barton, 
has, since its foundation, done more towards the allevia¬ 
tion of suffering and loss caused by war and other great 
catastrophes than any other charitable organization. 
The founder. Miss Barton, was born in 1830 on a farm 
near Oxford, Mass. After she had obtained her educa¬ 
tion, she for a time devoted herself to teaching. Having 
finished a course in Clinton Institute, she presided over 
a school in Bordentown until her failing eyesight warned 
her to discontinue her work. Consequently she accept¬ 
ed a position in the patent office. With the money saved 
during these years she was enabled to raise the mort¬ 
gage from her parents’ farm. 

In the destructive war of 1861-1865, Miss Barton was 
enthusiastically engaged in labors of mercy and help. 
She advertised that, whosoever was willing to give money 
or provisions for the soldiers should send them to her. 
Through the influence of Henry Wilson, Congress do¬ 
nated to her $15,000 for the care of the sick and the deco¬ 
ration of the graves of the fallen. 

Dorance Altwater, a boy prisoner in Andersonville, 
had secretly kept a register of the names of those who 
had fallen and of their graves. When scrap paper could 
not be procured, white rags served as writing material. 
Thus 15,000 names were collected, which the boy sent 
to the War Department, yet the latter only laid the list 

i4 


CLARA BARTON 


15 


aside and gave the youthful collector an appointment in 
the department. Clara Barton read of the list and, hunt¬ 
ing up Altwater, went with him in a boat, which he had 
made himself, to Andersonville and marked the graves 
of the fallen heroes. 

After the war Miss Barton delivered addresses in 
New York for $100 an evening. Being an active woman, 
energetic in the delivery of her discourse, great audi¬ 
ences came to hear her. Her health faild her in 1867, 
however, on account of overexertion, and she went 
abroad. 

During the war of 1870-71, Miss Barton again evinced 
her sympathetic spirit, being especially actively engaged 
in Strassburg. Her labors were appreciated, for marks 
of distinction were showered upon her from all sides. 
From Prussia she received an order of merit; from her 
personal friend, the Grand Duchess of Baden, a jewel; 
from the queen of Italy a medal; from the Grand Duke of 
Baden the grand cross. Queen Victoria of England, 
with her own hand, placed a beautiful pin on Miss Bar¬ 
ton’s bosom. 

Besides Germany, Miss Barton also labored with great 
success in Switzerland. In 1877 she returned to the 
United States, but lay for seven months in the Columbia 
Hospital in Washington. 

For some time she had planned to make the Red 
Cross Society a national organization. In 1881 this was 
accomplished. On May 21 of that year, shortly before 
his tragic death, President Garfield wrote her an en¬ 
couraging letter. A constitution was drawn up and ac¬ 
cepted. Clara Barton was made president. The national 
capitol was made the headquarters of the society, where 
the building may now be found on 17th and F Streets. 
The walls of the building are decorated with flags of 


i6 


CLARA BARTON 


the different nations, whose soldiers she had cared for. 
Here Clara Barton took up her residence. 

In many ways this national organization was a bless¬ 
ing to the land. In 1882 it raised money and generously 
contributed to the relief of the flooded Mississippi Val¬ 
ley. In the following year Louisiana was assisted. In 
1886 the society extended its generous assistance to the 
parched plains of Texas. Thereafter, Mt. Vernon, laid 
low by a cyclone, experienced the blessed generosity of 
the organization. At the time of the Johnstown flood, 
$40,000 were sent to the relief of the afflicted. Even the 
islands of the sea were reached. Many hearts were 
warmed towards the society. Among others, Dr. Joseph 
Gardner, of Bedford, Ind., gave 782 acres of land, with 
orchard and woods, to the society. Many branches of 
the organization sprang up. 

Begun with the insignificance of a mustard seed, this 
organization has, under the self-denying devotion of 
Clara Barton, sprung into magnitude and importance. 
It has taken root in many lands, though at present Swit¬ 
zerland bears the palm. Germany also has many 
branches of the organization. France and England fol¬ 
low, while even Russia numbered in 1877, over 500 
nurses, 120 waiters and 100 physicians. In the war of 
1877-1878 they furnished 13,120 beds and attended 116,- 
296 patients. Austria-Hungary also made itself known. 
In 1870-1871 her organizations distributed $442,000. At 
present there are in existence thirty-two national or¬ 
ganizations. 

What a clear instance of divine favor and providence 
in the remarkable spreading of this great cause. The 
blessed words, “I was sick and ye visited me,” will, 
among others, be spoken to Clara Barton, the; founder of 
the Red Cross Society. 


GEORGE DANA BOARDMAN 


1 7 


As a heroine of the cross she was God’s messenger 
of mercy to the sick, the wounded and the unfortunate, 
and not for things spoken, or things written, but for 
things done, her name will live forever in precious mem¬ 
ory among the nations of the world. 

Unfortunately, the last years of her life were sad¬ 
dened by troubles in connection with the Red Cross So¬ 
ciety, which fact is thought to have shortened her life. 
But when the end came, her white-robed soul went out, 
not in darkness, but in heaven’s eternal light. Her re¬ 
ward will be not only the magnificent monument to be 
erected at Washington to her honor, but a bright and 
unfading crown in glory. 


GEORGE DANA BOARDMAN 

Pioneer Missionary to Burmah 

Two happy young hearts united in holy wedlock and 
all taken up, not in a mere passionate affection for each 
other, but in a burning and undying love for Christ and 
his kingdom, and a romantic wedding tour, in 1825, ex¬ 
tending from New England to India, was the beginning 
of a foreign missionary campaign blessed of God with 
marvelous soul-winning results. 

The groom of the party was George Dana Boardman, 
a promising young man of twenty-three summers. He 
was the son of Rev. Sylvanus Boardman and a gradu¬ 
ate of Waterville Seminary. His call to the ministry 
and his desire to become a missionary dated back to the 
hour of his conversion while a student of his Alma Mater, 
in which he matriculated in 1819 and finished his course 
with honor three years later and was appointed tutor. 
Though his successful record as a teacher had won the 



i8 GEORGE DANA BOARDMAN 

warmest appreciation and opened to him the prospect of 
the highest literary preferment, yet his love for God and 
humanity inspired him with a burning desire to become 
an embassador of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For a while 
he had wavered between a choice of a mission to the 
east or the west; but after hearing of the untimely death 
of Coleman in Burmah, he longed to fill his place, of¬ 
fered his services to the Baptist board and was appointed 
to that mission. 

The bride was Miss Sarah B. Holl, a refined and an 
affectionate young woman of noble birth and high at¬ 
tainments, and with all an ardent Christian, admirably 
fitted to become the co-worker of her young husband 
and the spiritual guide to poor benighted heathen wo¬ 
men in India. 

December the second, 1825, was the day of their ar¬ 
rival at Calcutta, where they were necessitated to re¬ 
main for a time on account of a war between England 
and Burmah. Meanwhile they assisted Mr. Wade in his 
missionary work, until in 1827 they were appointed to 
Maulmain, the new seat of government. Thence they 
pursued their journey to their new field of labor, Mrs. 
Boardman traveling in a litter, and arriving in Maul¬ 
main, where they erected a small bamboo cottage upon 
a lot presented them by the English government. 

The frail cottage was. in a dangerous place, for it 
stood in a lonely spot near a den of nocturnal marauders 
and banditti, and the governor, apprehensive of the dan¬ 
ger, kindly offered the missionaries a site for a house 
within the cantonment. This arrangement, however, 
would have cut off almost all their intercourse with the 
Burmans, and they bravely declined the offer. The ap¬ 
prehension, though, was but too well founded, for only 
shortly afterwards a band of robbers broke into the frail 


GEORGE DANA BOARDMAN 


19 


house, rifled every trunk, box and drawer, and two 
large cuts in Mr, Boardman’s bed curtains showed where 
his slumbers had been watched by murderous eyes, and 
proved that unbroken sleep had saved his life. 

In October, 1827, it was decided to concentrate all 
mission forces at Maulmain, as the central mission sta¬ 
tion in Burmah. Boardman and his co-workers labored 
assiduously, enduring privations and overcoming great 
obstacles in building up the mission. The female schools 
of Mrs. Wade and Mrs. Boardman were united, while 
Messrs. Boardman, Wade and Judson prosecuted the 
work begun by the first named. God prospered their 
gospel labors. The seeds of God’s truth and grace be¬ 
gan to take root and a delightful spiritual harvest re¬ 
warded their ministry. 

But the church is often more considerate of the work 
than of the workman. Boardman’s noble record as a 
pioneer in establishing the mission at Maulmain marked 
him as a safe man for a hard post and a great task. Ac¬ 
cordingly he was ordered by the board to establish a 
new mission at Tavoy, about one hundred and fifty miles 
distant from Maulmain. 

As a gallant soldier of the cross, Boardman was 
obedient to orders. Without a word of murmur for being 
called to leave the fruits of his labors for others to reap, 
he set his face towards Tavoy to renew the privations 
and labors of a pioneer. Boardman and his wife were 
hospitably received on April 9, 1828, by the English 
commissioner of Tavoy. They immediately began their 
arduous task of evangelizing that idolatrous city. Here 
they were confronted with strong and malignant oppo¬ 
sition and this especially by the priests, who arrayed 
their influence against them. But God prospered their 
ministry in spite of difficulty. Ko Thah-byu was Board- 


20 


GEORGE DANA BOARDMAN 


man’s first convert in this new charge. This man, res¬ 
cued from the degradation of slavery and the curse of 
great sin, became a chosen vessel of God’s grace and a 
fruitful co-worker of the missionaries. 

The news of the gospel messengers was spread among 
the people. Many came from distant points far out in 
the interior, and upon the earnest solicitations of these 
people Boardman braved the danger and hardship of a 
tour through the jungle. Going alone, he traveled hun¬ 
dreds of miles through a wild, rugged country, across 
deep ravines and almost impassible mountain streams, 
as well as through forests inhabited by wild beasts and 
robbers, over an almost trackless route, which could be 
traveled only on foot and which involved great fatigue 
and exposure. At times he was drenched with rain and 
at best he had only a mat for a bed, with a bamboo for 
a pillow. Yet he endured these hardships gladly, be¬ 
cause the people in the villages gathered around him in 
large assembles and many of them were converted and 
became followers of Christ. 

God’s ways, however, are often beclouded with mys¬ 
tery. Even such goodly people as Mr. and Mrs. Board- 
man had to undergo bereavement by the death of their 
elder daughter and younger son, besides both enduring 
severe trial by sickness and fearful exposure to danger 
and abuse occasioned by a rebellion in Tavoy, which re¬ 
sulted in the pillage and destruction of their home. 

But as did the great Apostle Paul in his day, so 
Boardman declared by his courage and stability: “None 
of these things move me.” Despite bereavement, sick¬ 
ness, persecution and privation, he, even when in the 
grasp of consumption and death had marked him as his 
own, continued preaching and teaching daily, being en- 


GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH 


21 


couraged by the larger congregations and the increasing 
number of enquirers. 

Boardman’s last days were days of gospel triumph, 
witnessing the baptism of eighteen converts at Tavoy 
and thirty-four converts at Karens. Thus with his soul 
feasting on living evidences of Christ’s power to save 
sinners he passed from the church militant to the church 
triumphant. Though he died at the early age of thirty, 
yet his life was abundantly fruitful of great and glorious 
results for the Master’s kingdom. In his beautiful rec¬ 
ord he has left behind him a rich legacy to the Christian 
observer, “a bright example of consecration to the honor 
of Christ and the salvation of men.” 


GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH 

Father of the Salvation Army 

The 10th day of April, 1829, is sacred to Christian 
memory as the natal day of the most picturesque per¬ 
sonality of modern times: General William Booth, that 
great and princely leader of the hosts of the Salvation 
Army, who, on the 20th day of August, 1912, was trans¬ 
lated from his earthly home at Hadley Wood, near Lon¬ 
don, into the presence of his Heavenly King., Probably 
no military leader or patriotic statesman of this or any 
other age merits greater honor than this saintly man of 
God, who, for more than sixty years, has been, like the 
great Apostle Paul, a gallant soldier of the cross of 
Jesus Christ. 

All the world loves a faith hero who sacrifices his all 
in life and who acquits himself with consecrated genius 
and marvelous success in the redemption of fallen hu¬ 
manity. Therefore we wonder not that, when the news 
of General Booth’s demise flashed over the wires, memo- 



22 


GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH 


rial services were held in all the important cities of both 
hemispheres and that the President of the United States, 
the King and Queen of England, the Archbishop of Can¬ 
terbury, the Lord Mayor of London, distinguished states¬ 
men, representatives of many Protestant creeds and 
prominent persons of the Jewish faith sent messages of 
condolence to Bramwell Booth indicating the sympathy 
and the high esteem of all classes of people throughout 
the world. 

General Booth arose from obscurity to prominence 
and became beloved and esteemed by the millions of 
God’s best people of earth because of what he was and 
what he did in relation to the lowly Nazarene going out 
through his gospel ministry even after the lowest and 
the meanest of mankind in order to redeem and to save 
souls by the powers of saving grace applied. 

Born of the Spirit of God as a lad of fourteen sum¬ 
mers and becoming immediately inspired with a pas¬ 
sion for winning souls he began preaching the gospel 
with wonderful effect at the age of seventeen years. From 
the beginning God owned and honored his ministry with 
the noble heritage of souls born into the Kingdom. 

As his Lord and Master cared not for high place or 
church eclat but could preach with power from a fisher¬ 
man’s boat or a mountain-top, so Booth could go out 
to the churchless and neglected places among the poor 
and the lowly and preach the unsearchable riches of 
Christ’s gospel to the masses yet unsaved. Beginning 
in Mile End Road, London, using an old tent set up in 
a disused burial ground and drawing his congregation 
from the residents of Whitechapel district, he raised the 
war cry against sin and Satan and proclaimed the sal¬ 
vation of the gospel with the result that hundreds of 
souls were born into the Kingdom of God. When, after 


GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH 


23 


twelve years of labor in this place, larger accommoda¬ 
tions were required, for the crowds that assembled in 
his meetings, he removed to Bethesda Chapel in Gates¬ 
head. Here, as later on in other places, all through his 
remarkable career. Booth was confronted with adverse 
conditions. But like the great Napoleon he could not 
be deterred by opposition or difficulty. Ridicule and 
criticism only incited him to more resolute endeavor. 
With a small band of his followers he would march out 
into the streets with banners and flags, calling the multi¬ 
tudes to his standard. The newspapers advertised his 
movement, and his parades with bands of music and vo¬ 
ciferous singing, followed by preaching and religious* 
testimony, became attractive for the masses. His pres¬ 
entation of the gospel caught the crowds. 

William Booth first labored under the auspices of 
the Wesleyan and Methodist churches, but for greater 
liberty and a wider range of influence, he finally, in 1861, 
threw off all denominational bonds, continuing his la¬ 
bors under the more general term of Christian Missions 
and finally adopting the name of the Salvation Army as 
more appropriate to his militant methods. Then he or¬ 
ganized a wonderful military system of magnificent gos¬ 
pel enterprises at the center of which he stood, as the 
great commander, ruling with surprising rigor, but be¬ 
loved as a father by the hosts of his followers. 

General Booth solved the problem of reaching the 
masses., He made his appeal to classes hitherto un¬ 
touched by any other form of organized Christianity. 
His peculiar genius for using the symbols of a holy war 
stirred the imagination of classes of society which had 
little opportunity for the exercise of imagination in other 
directions. The poor and outcast and oppressed respond¬ 
ed eagerly to the appeal and found in the movement a 


24 


GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH 


welcome opportunity for the expression of their ideals. 

God prospered the movement. Money flowed to Mr. 
Booth and gospel workers rallied around him. His 
army grew and extended its march over the nations of 
both hemispheres. Thus this vast “army of the Lord” 
has spread all over the civilized world. 

General Booth appreciated the power of the press 
and used it as his ally. First he compiled and circulated 
over a hundred thousand copies of his “penny” song- 
book. Soon followed a monthly paper, “East London 
Evangelist,” and “Christian Mission Magazine.” As a 
paper for children he edited “Little Soldiers.” Finally 
he published the “War Cry,” which is the recognized 
organ of the salvation Army, circulating in twenty dif¬ 
ferent languages and has a weekly subscription list of 
more than a million. Twenty tonn of books and papers 
are distributed weekly and secure a good profit. 

Although the Salvation Army is a distinctly religious 
organization, placing largest emphasis upon individual 
conversion and spiritual life, it has also recognized the 
modern humanitarian spirit and has taken hold of com¬ 
munity problems with a master mind and a master hand, 
doing large services by its great colonization projects 
and philanthropic enterprises involving an annual outlay 
of eight millions of dollars. 

“Verily, what hath God wrought!” What a won¬ 
derful evidence of divine guidance and help in the remark¬ 
able subsistence and aggressive strength of the Salva¬ 
tion Army in the uplifting of fallen humanity! What a 
splendid testimony to the vitality and salutary power of 
applied Christianity! 


CATHERINE BOOTH 

The Mother of the Salvation Army 

The record of the noble life of Catherine Booth de¬ 
serves to be written in letters of gold. In all the past 
women have been a power in the annals of history, not 
only in England and America, but in all the leading na¬ 
tions of the world, often taking the leadership in insti¬ 
tuting great reforms and carrying on noble works of 
public benevolence. This is especially true of the hero¬ 
ine of this story. 

She, then Catherine Mumford, was born in 1829. Her 
father was a wagonwright, who served the Methodist 
church of that city as a local preacher. Catherine was a 
delicate child, but under the jealous care of her mother 
for both her physical and spiritual health, she was saved 
for the great work which lay yet unbeknown before her. 
Undoubtedly the death of her three brothers deeply im¬ 
pressed her youthful mind, as did the passionate prayer 
of her mother at their coffin: “The Lord gave, the Lord 
has taken away, blessed be His holy name.” 

Under these wholesome influences she grew to girl¬ 
hood, and though never very strong physically, she early 
evinced a character pure and firm, and from childhood 
manifested a deep interest in temperance and benevo¬ 
lence. When but twelve years of age she, as secretary 
of a children’s Temperance Society, wrote short compo¬ 
sitions for temperance magazines. Her reading also 
gives us a sure indication of her spiritual health, for, 
though a prolific reader, she was by no means omnivo¬ 
rous. All novels and trashy literature she discarded, 
preferring such substantial works as the writings of 
Wesley, Fletcher and Newton, and, above all, the Bible, 
which she read through twice from Genesis to Revela- 

25 


26 


CATHERINE BOOTH 


tions in sixteen months. Consequently she was led, after 
a long and earnest season of prayer, to give her heart 
to God and consecrate her services to the Lord. 

In disposition Miss Mumford was practical and of a 
somewhat serious turn of mind, as is manifested by the 
peculiarly original and common-sense idea which she 
entertained pertaining to her marriage. She deter¬ 
mined that any one aspiring to be her companion must 
fulfill the following conditions: He must be a religious 
man, temperate by principle. He must have the consent 
of his parents. He must have sound common sense and 
an amiable character. Furthermore she preferred a 
companion of dark hair who would bear the name Wil¬ 
liam. This ideal she found in William Booth, a young 
preacher and an energetic and fiery evangelist, to whom 
she was united in marriage after a three years* engage¬ 
ment. 

To her husband she proved a devoted and helpful 
companion, for even during the period of their engage¬ 
ment she helped him in the preparation of his sermons 
and later, though by nature timid about assuming leader¬ 
ship in public assemblies, she overcame her modest dis¬ 
position and became a powerful assistant. Though phy¬ 
sically weak, her indomnitable will supported her in this 
work. Oftentimes she approached the speaker’s plat¬ 
form so weak that she had to be supported and after an 
address she often collapsed in a swoon, but her words 
went straight to the heart and were effective, for they 
led thousands to the Cross, where they experienced the 
peace and joy of a renewed heart. Partly through this 
powerful assistance, within thirty years’ time, the num¬ 
ber of officers in the Salvation Army was increased to 
over 64,000, while the weekly attendance at the meetings 
was five and one-half million souls. Aside from this 


BOXER HERO MARTYRS 


27 


there were founded eighty-six homes for women, fifteen 
homes for released convicts, twenty-eight boarding 
houses for the hungry, one hundred and one homes for 
the homeless, thirty-eight work establishments, fourteen 
children’s homes, besides twenty-four other charitable 
institutions, while five million dollars were annually 
gathered for their support. 

In her home life this wonderful woman was affection¬ 
ate, tasty and practical. As a devoted wife and a lov¬ 
ing mother, she was the queen of her home, which to 
Mr. Booth was the choicest and most inspiring abode in 
all the world. “When I am compelled to be absent from 
home,” said he, “as often occurs, I always count the 
weeks, days and hours until I can again return.” Of 
her eight children all were converted to the Lord in the 
tender age of childhood and became useful and effective 
workrs in the vineyard of the Lord. She taught them to 
discard novel reading, the folly of fashion and all man¬ 
ner of sin and on her deathbed could say with grateful 
heart that not one of them was lost, either by death or 
by the devil. 

Though she was afflicted and suffered much during 
her long and useful life on account of her delicate con¬ 
stitution, she bore her cross with great patience and sub¬ 
mission to the Divine Will. She died in great peace, la¬ 
mented by tens of thousands of devoted followers, in 
whose memory she ever lives in pleasing and grateful 
recollection. 


BOXER HERO MARTYRS 

The Victims of Chinese Superstition and Cruelty 

The origin of the native organization in China known 
as “Boxers” dates as far back as 1889, when it first in- 



28 


BOXER HERO MARTYRS 


stigated numerous revolts against foreign encroachments 
on Chinese territory. It grew rapidly from that time on, 
and in the latter part of May, 1900, startling rumors of 
trouble in China began to reach Europe and America. 
Fresh outbreaks occurred. Railroad tracks in various 
parts of the empire were torn up and many foreigners 
were brutally massacred. The Boxers hated all for¬ 
eigners and designated them as “foreign devils,” but 
their superstition and satanic animosity was especially 
bitter against the Christian missionaries. 

At first it was not known what the extent of the 
Boxer organization was, or what portion of the Chinese 
population it embraced. Soon, however, it became evi¬ 
dent that the Dowager Empress An and many of the 
principal officials of the Chinese government were in 
sympathy with the movement, and secretly encouraged 
its acts of violence. The Emperor, Kwang Su, however, 
appeared to be imbued with progressive ideas, and mani¬ 
fested a spirit of positive friendliness toward foreign 
enterprise., 

After the persecutions of the missionaries became 
generally known and the foreign powers made a move¬ 
ment for their protection, Prince Tuan assumed control 
of the Chinese government, and issued imperial edicts 
ordering the enrollment of the Boxers and the expulsion 
of all “foreign devils” from China. 

This provoked resentment on the part of foreign gov¬ 
ernments and on the 29th of May all the foreign ships 
at the port of Talcu, on the west coast of the Gulf of 
Pechili, landed marines and prepared to march to their 
respective legations at Pekin. The arrival of the marines 
at the capitol quieted the troubles temporarily, but on 
the 4th of June, Minister Conger’s despatch to the au¬ 
thorities at Washington reported alarming conditions. 


BOXER HERO MARTYRS 


29 


The missionaries, forewarned by daily reports of massa¬ 
cres, congregated for protection in the Methodist “com¬ 
pound;” and soon thereafter all the foreigners in Pekin 
fled to the British Legation, where they threw up barri¬ 
cades and prepared for the siege. Fighting, mob violence 
and bloodshed followed. The Austrian, Dutch and Bel¬ 
gian Legations were burned, and the United States Le¬ 
gation narrowly escaped the spreading flames. Eight 
hundred persons, including the guards, were now con¬ 
fined within the enclosure of the British Legation, and 
from June until August, when relief came, they were 
subjected to the persistent and almost daily attacks from 
the Boxers, whose ranks seemed to embrace the Im¬ 
perial Army and a large percentage of the native popu¬ 
lation. 

While the siege was going on at Pekin the bombard¬ 
ment of Tientsin began. The Imperial and Boxer guns 
poured shot and shell into the American Consulate, de¬ 
stroying it, and seriously damaging other foreign prop¬ 
erty. Later, bloody battles were fought with heavy loss 
of life, at Yangtsun and Changchia and practically all 
of North China was stricken with the curse of war and 
mob violence. 

Meanwhile a large foreign army was rapidly massing 
at Taku. The Ninth Regiment of the United States In¬ 
fantry had been ordered over from the Philippines, and 
on the first of July General Chaffee sailed from San 
Francisco with the sixth cavalry to take command of the 
American army in China. Two other regiments and a 
battery were soon afterward added to the American 
forces, which were increased to a total of about 5,000 
regulars. Japan furnished 15,000 men and Great Britain 
sent 10,000 from her Indian contingent. Russia, Ger¬ 
many, Italy, France and Austria came to the rescue and 


30 


BOXER HERO MARTYRS 


an army of the allied nations was formed 60,000 strong. 
The indignation of the world was aroused. Regulars 
fought with Spartan bravery under gallant leadership 
unsurpassed even by the achievements of Alexander, 
of Xenophon and other heroes of history. 

But greater than the physical courage and daring 
of warriors was the Christian heroism of the martyr 
missionaries who sacrificed their noble lives in that aw¬ 
ful struggle. Some of the trials and persecutions imposed 
upon Christians in China during that satanic revolt were 
too harrowing to be described in public print. Stronger, 
however, than the powers of darkness was the power of 
God’s sustaining grace, as manifested in the Boxer he¬ 
ro martyrs, whose courage in pain and death equalled 
the heroism of apostolic times. 

Carrying out the royal order of the expulsion of for¬ 
eigners and the extermination of Christians, the governor 
himself in one of the provinces supervised the execu¬ 
tions. Mr. Farthing, a noble Christian man, was the 
first to be led forth. Gently putting aside his dear wife, 
who clung to him, he stepped in front of the soldiers and 
kneeling before the executioner, was beheaded with one 
blow. In quick succession, Messrs. Hoddle, Benym, Drs. 
Lovitt and Willson were each led forth and slain with 
one blow from the executioner’s knife. Stokes, Simp¬ 
son and Whitehouse were the next to fall as victims to 
the brutal officers’ murderous blows. 

In another city, Horace Tracy Pitkin, a graduate of 
Yale University, was shut into his church, where he held 
the howling mob at bay with his revolver until his am¬ 
munition gave out, and then died as a martyr to his 
faith. Just before expiring, he exclaimed: “Tell my 
boy Horace that his father’s last wish is that when he is 


BOXER HERO MARTYRS 


3i 


twenty-five years of age he may come to China as a mis¬ 
sionary.” 

Liu Wen-lau, a native school teacher, while being 
led to the place of execution, consoled his suffering com¬ 
rades by reminding them how the Master and His early 
desciples were persecuted and put to death because of 
their faith. 

Another native Christian, Ton Lien-wing, a senior 
in the Pekin University, refused to burn incense and 
knock his head on the ground before the idols, as he had 
been ordered to do. The mob cried out: “He is a devil 
of the second class.” Denying the charge and explaining 
that he was a Christian, the mob took him away from 
the heathen temple out into the street set apart for the 
slaughter of devils. Here his parting words of Christian 
testimony so moved the hearts of his hearers that many 
desired to save his life, but he was doomed to die. Just 
before receiving the death blow, he said, “Though you 
kill our bodies, you cannot kill our souls; hereafter we 
live forever,” Then the enraged mob hacked his body 
to pieces. But his triumphant death made profound im¬ 
pression upon many. 

The way of the cross, however, leads to victory. 
Pekin was captured and humiliated. The Boxer revolt 
was quelled and peace restored. 

God's cause is more than vindicated. Today in North 
China, where there was ruin and murder in those dark 
days, there are more faith heroes and heroines than ever 
before. “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the 
church.’’ 


DAVID BRAINERD 

Missionary to the American Indians 

At a time when the tide of evangelical religion was 
very low and ritualism, rationalism and hyper-Calvinism 
were destroying the vitality of the Protestant churches; 
at a time when the rector would shorten the prescribed 
Sunday morning service that the people might enjoy a 
boxing match or a bull fight in the afternoon; when 
even education was separated from religion to such an 
extent that as late as 1795 there was but one communi¬ 
cant among the under-graduate students of Yale col¬ 
lege; in this godless age there arose, like a shining bea¬ 
con piercing the midnight darkness of a stormy sea, a 
young student devoted and consecrated to God, who did 
not heed these contending voices of misled and mislead¬ 
ing men, but only that of the “old Book,” which is ever 
true and infallible in its simple direction to the Home 
above. 

Young Brainerd had prepared himself especially for 
the ministry, when the Edinburgh “Society for Promot¬ 
ing Christian Knowledge,” one of the few which made 
some feeble attempts at missionary work in the eigh¬ 
teenth century, impressed upon his conscience his duty 
as a missionary to the red men of America. The offer 
was accepted and in the latter part of the year 1742 he 
entered upon the work, with a sincere feeling of his un¬ 
worthiness and unfitness for the work and with ever 
deeper consecration to God through frequent and earnest 
prayer. The following entry in his diary reflects well 
his spirit in undertaking the work: 

“Lord’s Day, Dec. 19.—At the sacrament of the 
Lord’s Supper I seemed strong in the Lord; and the 
world, with all its frowns and flatteries, in a great meas- 

32 



richard cameron's prayer before the battle of ayr's moss 






DAVID BRAINERD 


32 


ure disappeared, so that my soul had nothing to do with 
them, and I felt a disposition to be wholly and forever 
the Lord’s. In the evening I enjoyed something of the 
Divine Presence; had an humbling sense of my vileness, 
barrenness and sinfulness. Oh, it wounded me to think 
of the misimprovement of time! God be merciful to me 
a sinner.” 

His work took him into the dreary forest, where he 
could enjoy not one comfort. His food consisted largely 
of hasty-pudding, boiled corn, bread baked in the ashes 
and at times a little meat and butter, while he slept on 
boards covered with straw and raised a little above the 
ground, which latter formed the floor of his log cabin 
built by his own hands. A mile and a half distant in 
the forest lived the Indians, to whom he preached almost 
daily, but he seldom saw an English person. Still these 
severe trials moved him not. “I scarce think of them,” 
he said, “or hardly observe that I am not entertained in 
the most sumptuous manner.” In a letter to Mr. Pern- 
berton on this subject, he said: “As to the hardships 
that necessarily attend a mission among them, the fa¬ 
tigues of frequent journeyings in the wilderness, the 
unpleasantness of a mean and hard way of living, and 
the great difficulty of addressing a people in a ‘strange 
language’; these I shall at present pass over in silence, 
designing what I have already said of difficulties at¬ 
tending this work, not for the discouragement of any, 
but rather for the incitement of all who ‘love the ap¬ 
pearing of the Kingdom of Christ’ to frequent the throne 
of Grace with earnest supplication that the heathen, who 
were anciently promised to Christ for his inheritance, 
may now actually and speedily be brought into His 
kingdom of Grace and made heirs of immortal glory.” 

That the labors of this truly great, Pauline-spirited 


34 


DAVID BRAINERD 


man were not in vain may be gleaned from the follow¬ 
ing, written at the close of his third year’s work, his 
first in New Jersey: 

“June 19.—This day makes up a complete year from 
the first time of my preaching to these Indians in New 
Jersey. What amazing things has God wrought in that 
time for this poor people! What a surprising change ap¬ 
pears in their temper and behavior! How are morose 
and savage pagans, in this short period, transformed 
(into agreeable, affectionate and humble Christians! And 
their drunken and pagan howlings turned into devout 
and fervent praises to God; they who were sometime in 
darkness are become light in the Lord. May they walk 
as children of light and of the day! And now to Him 
that is of power to establish them according to the Gos¬ 
pel and the preaching of Christ, to God only wise, be 
glory through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen.” 

This, however, was not all, for Brainerd was one of 
the few men who are more remarkable for what they in¬ 
spire than for what they do. Henry Martyn read the 
life of Brainerd and decided to become a missionary and 
“imitate his example.” The same source gave inspira¬ 
tion to William Carey. Jonathan Edwards, that great- 
souled man who cared for Brainerd in his last illness, 
and laid him to his final resting place as tenderly as a 
father, was moved by him to carry the Gospel to the 
Stockbridge Indians, and to publish his tract calling 
upon the Christian world to unite in prayer for the 
pagan world. 

Brainerd’s rapturous death was a fitting close to a 
life so nearly like the Master’s in its complete aban¬ 
donment. His last words were: “Farewell, friends and 
earthly comforts, the dearest of them all; the very dear¬ 
est if the Lord calls for it. Adieu, adieu, I will spend 


WILLIAM BUTLER 


35 


my life till my latest moments in caves and dens of the 
earth, if the kingdom of God may be thereby advanced.” 

His life solved the perplexing Indian problem and 
proved to those wise enough to see it that the best mis¬ 
sionaries are the greatest statesmen and hold the keys of 
the kingdom of peace in their hands. 


WILLIAM BUTLER 

Pioneer Missionary to North India 

A minister and his wife taking leave of their two 
young boys, for they were going to the distant mission¬ 
ary field of India, to whose hot climate it would be dan¬ 
gerous to expose the tender constitutions of the two 
boys. Their hearts bled as they tearfully bent over the 
little lads, imprinting on their youthful cheeks a kiss 
that might perhaps be the last. 

After a safe voyage, these self-denying heroes, Dr. 
and Mrs. Butler, steamed into the harbor of Calcutta, 
whence they traveled by rail to Lucknow. There, in 
that city of half a million souls as vile as sin could 
make them, they decided to begin their mission. No 
friendly welcome awaited them, for they were hated 
foreigners, whose religion the Indians regarded with 
thorough detestation. The terrible rebellion of the 
Sepoys, which made the whole civilized world shudder 
with horror, was on the point of breaking forth, and it 
was not safe for a white man to be seen on the streets 
without an armed guard. 

When Dr. Butler apprised an officer of the British 
government of his intention of founding a Methodist 
mission in the city, the latter exclaimed, “It is madness 
to attempt it. Your life is not safe if you attempt it.” 

Sir James Outram, one of the bravest of English 



36 


WILLIAM BUTLER 


generals, looked at the missionary with wonder in his 
eyes and, shrugging his shoulders, told him that it would 
be certain death to preach Jesus in any part of the city. 
Though this bold soldier thought it nothing wonderful 
to lead his troops into a deadly breach, he could not 
understand how a missionary could calmly stand un¬ 
armed before a mob of infuriated heathens and utter 
words which would make them still more furious. 

“It is my duty to preach, Sir James; my Master will 
take care of my life, and His Spirit will give my preach¬ 
ing success,” replied the heroic missionary. 

Since no one in Lucknow would rent him a house. 
Dr. Butler secured one in Barielly. He found a ready 
and intelligent helper and interpreter in Joel, who had 
been reared and taught in the Presbyterian mission 
school in Allahabad. Under Butler’s influence he had 
had the mysterious experience of being “born again,” 
and thereafter he became a helper indeed to the mis¬ 
sionary. Joel was the first native Methodist preacher in 
India. 

Scarcely had Dr. Butler become settled in his new 
home before the terrible Sepoy rebellion began, sweep¬ 
ing the country like a destructive tornado. “You must 
take your women and children to the hills at once/* 
came the order from the British officer in command. He 
hated to leave his post, as did Mrs. Butler, and so re¬ 
mained for a few days, but at length decided to heed 
the repeated warnings. 

The flight began in the night. It was seventy-five 
miles to Nynee Tal, a sanitarium situated in the bosom 
of the mountains where they hoped to find shelter and 
safety. In a palankeen, or a sort of sedan chair, they 
were borne through a jungle reeking with malaria, the 
haunt of wild elephants and ferocious tigers. The trav- 


'WILLIAM BUTLER 


37 


eling was only at night, by the dim light of flickering 
torches. At midnight of their second night’s travel, 
many of the doctor’s palankeen bearers forsook him 
and others refused to proceed. He was now in great 
peril of perishing in the wilderness. In his distress he 
went into the jungle and there, standing bareheaded, he 
spoke to the Lord and asked him to incline the obstinate 
bearers to move forward. His prayer was answered. 
When he returned, he found the men docile and making 
preparation to proceed. The next morning they reached 
the traveler’s bungalow, where the missionaries tasted 
food for the first time in twenty-four hours. After an¬ 
other journey of seven hours they reached Nynee Tab 

Meanwhile Joel, who, being a native, thought himself 
safe, had decided to remain and care for the mission, 
had been forced to flee with his wife and children and 
after much suffering during a three hundred and forty 
mile trip on foot, reached safety in Allahabad. 

Even in Nynee Tal the missionaries were not out 
of reach of the murderous Sepoys, and the British au¬ 
thorities ordered that the ladies who had taken refuge 
there, with a few gentlemen to protect them, be sent 
thirty miles farther to Amorah. Dr. Butler was deputed 
to be one of the gentlemen to go with this party. After 
three days’ travel over a steep, narrow and very rough 
road, they reached their new and safer haven. 

After the suppression of the rebellion, Dr. Butler 
was permitted to return to Bareilly, where he organized 
his first mission class in May, 1857. Twenty-seven 
years later the North India Conference, which had its 
beginning in that class, had grown to number 900 preach¬ 
ers, teachers and helpers, 4,662 members, 6,679 adher¬ 
ents, and 16,705 Sunday school scholars. How glorious 
the work of the Lord! 


JOHN BUNYAN 

Author of “The Pilgrim’s Progress” 

Elstow, the birthplace of John Bunyan, is situated 
one mile from the outskirts of Bedford. With the ex¬ 
ception of the thick-set hedgerows on each side of the 
road, the open and generally level country has the ap¬ 
pearance of the better portion of our northern Atlantic 
states. In the southern extremity of the village is the 
house in which Bunyan was born. It is a small, modest 
cottage, with a thatched roof, which is adorned with two 
dormer windows. The simple little house itself gives 
convincing proof of the poverty of the Bunyans. 

John Bunyan first saw the light of this world in the 
year 1628. Though his father, who followed the occu¬ 
pation of a tinker, was very poor, still the man was of 
a fair character and, taking a pride in his son, gave him 
an education in the three R's. Young Bunyan inherited 
his father's occupation, when he first ventured out into 
the world, but not his character. His early life was 
marked by wickedness and profanity, and it is said that 
he excelled all the young men of his village in swearing. 

At an early age his conscience condemned him, and 
he suffered much from the reflections of religious im¬ 
pressions on his sensitive mind, but he still continued in 
his career of sin and folly. While thus uttering profanity 
with almost every word, he was, on one occasion, re¬ 
buked by a woman, who was a notorious sinner her¬ 
self ; and when she said that it made her tremble to hear 
him, the reproof, coming from such a woman, filled him 
with shame and he began to reform somewhat. He was, 
moreover, brought to serious reflection by his near ap¬ 
proach to death's door several times, for he was, in 
these days of his profligacy, saved twice from drown- 
ing, and once from the fangs of a poisonous reptile; 

38 


JOHN BUNYAN 


39 


while, in 1645, while a soldier in Parliament’s army at 
the siege of Leicester, he was ordered to stand sentinel; 
but a comrade, by his own desire, took his place and 
was shot through the head on Bunyan’s post. At the 
early age of nineteen Bunyan was married. His young 
wife was almost portionless and they began housekeep¬ 
ing in poverty. Still, what she brought was priceless to 
Bunyan; for her portion was the two books, “The Prac¬ 
tice of Piety” and “The Plain Man’s Pathway to Heaven,” 
and these books, together with her religious conversa¬ 
tion, caused him to resolve to reform his life. Upon 
going to church, the sermon seemed to make little im¬ 
pression upon his soul; but “the same day,” he relates, 
“as I was in the midst of a game of cat, and having 
struck it one blow from the hole, just as I was about to 
strike the second time, a voice did suddenly dart from 
heaven into my soul, which said, ‘Wilt thou leave thy 
sins and go to heaven, or have thy sins and go to hell?’ 
At this I was put to an exceeding maze; wherefore, leav¬ 
ing my cat upon the ground, I looked up to heaven, and 
was as if I had, with the eyes of my understanding, 
seen the Lord Jesus looking down upon me, as being 
hotly displeased with me; as if He did severely threaten 
me with some grevious punishment.” Despite this sup¬ 
ernatural call, Bunyan was tempted to believe it too 
late to repent; and notwithstanding all his convictions, 
was reluctant to part with his irreligious associates and 
vain pleasures, until the conversation of a poor man in¬ 
duced him to read the Bible. His conduct now com¬ 
pletely changed, to the great astonishment of his neigh¬ 
bors. He had accepted the Lord Jesus, and taken Him, 
as his best friend, into his life. The conversation, and 
especially the earnest and cheerful disposition of Chris¬ 
tians, whose company he now frequented, greatly affect- 


40 


JOHN BUNYAN 


ed him and convinced him of his own defects. An entire 
change took place in his views and affections, and his 
mind was now constantly occupied by thoughts pertain¬ 
ing to God and His kingdom. 

On account of his lack of religious knowledge, he 
was subject to various temptations. Among these was 
his inability to form a decision in regard to the various 
religious denominations, and especially of the “Ranters;” 
a sect which made loud professions of “faith,” but had 
very little to do with good “works.” In this perplexity 
he sought wisdom from above, which was granted to 
him, as the Bible had promised. 

Somewhat later Bunyan became acquainted with Mr. 
Gifford, a Baptist minister at Bedford, and was greatly 
benefited by his conversation. Soon afterwards, in 1665, 
he was admitted, by baptism, into Mr. Gifford’s church. 
Now he was desired by his brethren to preach, as a 
preparation for the ministry; but at first he resisted their 
importunities. At length, however, he was prevailed 
upon to speak in a small company, greatly to their satis¬ 
faction. At length, having been thus proven, he was 
set apart for the ministry, with fasting and prayer. 

His heart went out towards his former companions, 
whom, though they were the scum of the surrounding 
towns, he desired to lift out of the mire of sin 
first. Accordingly he went to the darkest places in the 
country, even among the people farthest from a profes¬ 
sion, and preached to them the words of saving grace. 
For the same purpose, doubtless, he wrote his rousing 
work, “Sighs from Hell; or, the Groans of a Damned 
Soul,” in which he described the pangs of remorse from 
experience. 

Upon the restoration of the monarchy, severe laws 
were framed, which were intended to exclude every- 


JOHN BUNYAN 


41 


body objecting in the least to the established form of 
worship. The enthusiastic John Bunyan could, how¬ 
ever, not be daunted. He went on with his ministerial 
labors in a courageous and unreserved manner, and was, 
consequently, one of the first sufferers under the new 
law. Among sixty others he was apprehended by a 
warrant from Justice Wingate, at Harlington, on No¬ 
vember 12, 1660, and was cast into the county jail. 

When he was brought to trial, none of the charges 
brought against him could be proven, as no witnesses 
could be procured. He had, however confessed that he 
was a dissenter and, this being considered as equivalent 
to conviction, he was sentenced to perpetual banishment. 
Though this sentence was never executed, he was con¬ 
fined in Bedford jail for more than twelve years, not¬ 
withstanding several attempts had been made at his 
deliverance. 

Though now shut out from the outside world, he had 
an opportunity of privately exercising his ministry with 
good effect. He also learned in prison to make tagged 
laces, and by this employment provided for the wants 
of himself and his family. Some comfort was afforded 
him by the friendship of the keeper of the prison, who 
permitted him to see his family and friends and, during 
the former part of his imprisonment, even permitted 
him to go out occasionally; but the greatest comfort 
came from the Lord, through prayer and meditation on 
the promises of God’s Word. 

Bunyan utilized the time thus accorded him—without 
doubt through the providence of God—in writing his 
"‘Pilgrim’s Progress.” At first this remarkable work 
remained in comparative obscurity, being considered be¬ 
neath the notice of the literati of that age; but in more 
modern times, when the learned wished to learn the 


42 


JOHN BUNYAN 


cause of the continued popularity of the book among 
so large a class, they discovered that John Bunyan was 
indeed “a child of genius and providence and a writer 
of striking originality and power.” Now the book has 
been published in a variety of forms, and may be found 
in the homes of both the rich and the poor, of the 
learned and of the day laborer. “It has been translated 
into more than thirty languages—an honor paid to no 
other book, the Book of God excepted”—and indeed, it 
is second only to the Bible. 

In 1671 he was chosen pastor of the Baptist church 
at Bedford, though he had yet no hope of release. This, 
however, was effected by a high church bishop, Dr. Bar- 
low, upon whose kindly interposition Charles II. signed 
the paper which released the prisoner on September 
13, 1672. 

After his release, Bunyan at once began his work at 
his new appointment. A new meeting-house was built at 
Bedford soon afterwards and here he preached to large 
audiences until his home-call to that better land. He 
also traveled much to London and made stated circuits 
in other parts of England, exhorted sinners to lead a 
Christian life. He also employed his influence success¬ 
fully in settling church disputes, and devoted much 
time to the religious instruction of his children. 

Bunyan’s last act was one of charity. A young man, 
who was under his father’s dipleasure, desired his in¬ 
tercession, and for this purpose, though now sixty years 
old, he journeyed to Reading, in Berkshire. On his re¬ 
turn he was drenched in a heavy rain and was soon 
seized with a fever. He bore his malady with great 
patience and composure, and died in a triumphant man¬ 
ner, August 31, 1688. Sorrowing friends buried him in 


THOMAS H. BUM BY 


43 


Bunhill Fields, in London, and a tombstone was there 
erected to his memory. 

Bunyan was twice married. His first wife died 
young and he was married to his second wife in 1658, 
two years before his imprisonment. His first marriage 
was blessed by four children, of whom he was very fond; 
one of whom, however, a girl named Mary, was blind 
and died before him. 

Though Bunyan did not go to foreign lands, as many 
of our honored foreign missionaries have done, he was 
nevertheless a hero worthy of our highest regard. After 
winning a victory over his own sinful heart and desires, 
he answered a call to forsake worldly ambition and to 
serve his Master alone. Then he bore the message first 
to his old companions, at whose hands he was certain of 
mockery and taunts. Later, when in prison, he did not 
despair and blame the Lord of neglecting him, but 
seized the opportunity, which God gave him, and wrote 
his most famous work. Such a life is indeed worthy of 
imitation. 


THOMAS H. BUMBY 

Pioneer Missionary to New Zealand 

During the session of the Wesleyan Conference at 
Bristol in 1838 a young man with a figure of almost fem¬ 
inine delicacy arose and with deep feeling declared his 
intention to quit the ministry in his native land and go 
to the foreign country, where, though he knew that he 
would meet hardships he would feel himself in the path 
of duty. When the president of the Conference arose to 
shake hands with this young man and his fellow-mis¬ 
sionaries, the preachers were so overcome that they 



44 


THOMAS H. BUMBY 


wept aloud; for the occasion was the farewell of the Con¬ 
ference to some of their brethren about to depart to 
their missions in the South Pacific Ocean. 

The eloquent young man who had spoken, Thomas 
Bumby, being unmarried, sailed with his sister, who 
was moved by the same heroic spirit, and after a six 
months' voyage landed in New Zealand, where they were 
gladly welcomed by Mr. Turner and others. Here the 
good seed of the Gospel had found good ground in 
which to take root, after a long and perilous sowing-time. 
On his first Sabbath, Mr. Bumby preached in an over¬ 
flowing chapel, to a thousand serious natives. How 
gloriously the cross had triumphed! 

He heard many stories of how Christ's love had 
moved and softened the hearts of the cannibals, which 
strengthened his faith in the truth and his hope that his 
sacrifice in their behalf would not be in vain. 

As superintendent of the mission, Mr. Bumby was 
under instructions to visit the islands and select suit¬ 
able sites for new stations; and he soon found his antici¬ 
pations of hardships and perils fully realized. He was 
obliged to travel much by water in frail, unsafe native 
vessels and on seas which, besides being full of hidden 
reefs, were subjected to sudden and severe storms. Then, 
after completing these perilous voyages, he had, on land¬ 
ing, to visit native chiefs, often very unfriendly. 

Most of these old chiefs were noted warriors and 
cannibals, who were in the habit of laying their hand on 
their stomach and saying in an imperious voice when 
hungry: 

“I am hungry for a man; go kill -, a slave, for 

me!" 

The entrance into these chiefs’ houses were so low 
that our missionary had to crawl on hands and knees 



THOMAS H. BUMBY 


45 


to pass through. Inside he found the air thick with 
smoke from rude oil lamps, while warriors and slaves 
lying about on the floor made the air so impure with 
their exhalations that Mr. Bumby could scarcely breathe. 
Yet he remained to sing a hymn and offer a prayer. 
After some of these visits the disgusting cannibal would, 
to his surprise, visit him on his ship and promise: 

“Send me a missionary, and I will give over fighting 
and begin with all my people to serve God.” 

Often Mr. Bumby and his fellow-laborer acted as 
peace-makers between hostile tribes, making long jour¬ 
neys through dense forests, over rugged mountains or 
across vast swamps during heavy tropical rains or chill¬ 
ing winds to accomplish this. On one of these expedi¬ 
tions he spent a week in such difficult travel, sleeping 
at night on the bare ground under the open sky. 

Reaching the seat of one of these warlike tribes, 
they found the chiefs sitting in state, ornamented with 
white feathers. To the missionary’s kind words they 
only replied sternly: “We will resist the attack of our 
enemies to death, to death, to death.” Presently mes¬ 
sengers of the tribe threatening war arrived, demanding 
satisfaction. Excited to fierceness, the savage chiefs 
jumped up, brandishing their spears, howling and 
throwing so much passion into their faces that they 
appeared yelling demons. Still Bumby pleaded, and at 
last gained consent to go to their approaching foes and 
say that, if they discharged their muskets at a distance, 
their enemies would meet them as friends. 

This point gained, our missionary walked out 
unarmed in the face of death to meet the approaching 
fierce horde. The savage chiefs listened to him and 
for the sake of the missionaries agreed to meet the 
opposite party for a peaceful parley. 


46 


THOMAS H. BUM BY 


With the missionaries and a little white handkerchief 
as a flag of truce between them, the hostile armies of 
almost nude savages met, armed ready for strife. The 
discharge of a single musket, the stepping across the 
line of peace by a single warrior would have been the 
signal for mutual slaughter, in which the missionaries, 
standing between the two fires, must certainly have 
fallen first. Yet the calm pleading of the missionaries, 
rendered eloquent by hearts full of love for humanity, 
won the victory, saved hundreds of lives and doubtless 
prevented the loathsome cannibal feast usually cele¬ 
brated by the conquering party. 

Besides this blessed work of Christian love, the mis¬ 
sionaries constantly won souls for God by preaching, 
teaching and distributing Christian literature. In the 
autumn of Mr. Bumby’s first year in New Zealand over 
eighteen hundred of these cannibals had been trans¬ 
formed into Christians during the year. 

In June, 1840, the New Zealand winter, Mr. Bumby 
with several native converts boarded a New Zealand 
vessel to sail to another station; but the canoe was 
overloaded and the careless crew easily capsized it. 
The natives, being good swimmers, easily righted it 
again and helped Mr. Bumby in. Shivering with cold, 
he sat bailing out the water with his hands, while the 
natives again crowded in. The vessel was again cap¬ 
sized. One of their number’s, drowning before their 
eyes, filled them with panic and they began to despair. 
A native convert, James Garland, set his missionary 
astride the upturned canoe, where Bumby calmly com¬ 
mended his soul to his Master while a swelling wave, 
sweeping him from his perilous seat, carried him to 
his deep, watery grave. Only six out of the sixteen 
escaped. 


RICHARD CAMERON 


47 


Not two years had passed since this splendid, 
sweet-souled young man had bidden his Conference fare¬ 
well. Was he mistaken that God had called him to this 
field? No, indeed; for the heroism of his beautiful 
young life, since lovingly mentioned by many a prais¬ 
ing tongue, has been the influence of awakening a kin¬ 
dred spirit in many others. 


RICHARD CAMERON 

Leader in the Scottish Covenanting Struggle 

From the moment when Richard Cameron suddenly 
turned to the side of the Covenanters, resigning his 
position as schoolmaster and wiping the dust of the 
Episcopacy from his feet, he became an object of 
persecution by all Royalists. He obtained work as a 
tutor in the family of Sir William Scott of Harden, but, 
being too sincere to attend his employer’s Presbyterian 
church, the minister of which had accepted the “Indul¬ 
gence,” he soon had to leave, to the mutual regret of 
both. He now joined John Welch, who was holding 
conventicles in Teviotdale, and was prevailed upon by 
that saintly gentleman to become a regular preacher, 
being ordained in the house of Harry Hall of Haughead. 

Seeing no greater national sin than the iniquity of 
accepting the Indulgence, he began preaching through¬ 
out Annandale with great acceptance, scathing those 
ministers remorselessly, who, to save their flesh, had 
accepted the Indulgence. They requested him to come 
before them and reprimanded him, saying that he was 
making divisions in their midst, adding: 

“Unity is our need just now. There are more 
essential things to preach about than the Indulgence. 
Let that matter rest for the present.” 



48 


RICHARD CAMERON 


He consented to this with some hesitation, and 
returned to his preaching, becoming a leader of the 
ousted ministers. 

His promise to remain silent concerning the Indul¬ 
gence, however, made him feel as though he had made 
an unworthy compromise just to keep peace, and filled 
him with uneasiness; so he went to Holland to consult 
several brethren who had fled thither. They advised him 
to preach everything that was in his heart and thus to 
raise the fallen public standard of Scotland. They 
blessed him and one of them, Mr. M’Ward prophesied, 
“Behold, all ye beholders, here is the head of a faithful 
servant of Jesus Christ, who shall be set up before sun 
and moon in the view of the world." 

He returned to Scotland when the defeat at Both- 
well Bridge had made the ministers timid and the people 
downhearted. His defiant attitude against the King at 
once made him the leader of the Covenanters. Donald 
Cargill and Douglas met and discussed with him the 
position he had taken and agreed to frame a Declaration 
fully expressing these ideas. The plan was carried out 
and on June 22, 1680, twenty men rode into the old 
town of Sanquar, where a prayer was spoken, a Paslm 
sung and the famous “Sanquar Declaration” read, which 
disowned the tyrant, Charles Stuart, as king, as he had 
long ago forfeited his rights to the crown of Scotland 
by his breach of the covenant both to God and His 
church, after which the twenty men again disappeared. 

The sensation created was profound. A reward of 
5000 merks was offered for Cameron’s arrest, but 
he went preaching throughout the country-side, pro¬ 
tected by an armed guard of twenty-three mounted men 
and forty men on foot. At length, however, a large 


DONALD CARGILL 


49 - 


company of soldiers came upon him unexpectedly in a 
dismal wilderness, Ayr’s Moss, where he had taken refuge 
from them, and pressed him to a fight. Mounting his 
white horse, as the others pressed around him, he repeated 
twice: “Lord, spare the green and take the ripe,” after 
which, turning to his brother Michael, he said: 

“Now let us fight it out to the last, for this is the 
day I have longed for, and the day I have prayed for, 
to die fighting against our Lord’s avowed enemies.” 

Taking a position on a small hill nearly surrounded 
by bogs, they swept down upon the charging dragoons, 
and cut clean through them. They w'ere, however 
separated by the charge, and each man had to fight it 
out by himself, and they were overpowered by the 
dragoons, who outnumbered them two to one. More 
than a dozen men rushed for Cameron, each eager for 
the prize money offered for his arrest. He slashed out 
right and left, until he was pulled from his horse, 
wounded all over and dead. 

Robert Murray laid his head and hands on the 
Council table in Edinburgh with the fitting words: 

“There are the head and hands of a man who lived 
praying and preaching, and died praying and fighting. 


DONALD CARGILL 

A Martyr of the Scottish Covenanters 

In June, 1896, delegates from the Reformed Presby¬ 
terian churches of the world met at Rattray, Blairgowrie, 
to do honor to one of the great martyrs of the Scottish 
covenanting struggle, Donald Cargill. 

It is believed that he was born in “Ha’town,” 
Rattray, about 1619. After receiving a liberal education, 
which his father, being a small land-owner, could afford 



50 


DONALD CARGILL 


to give him, he, after some hesitation, complied with his 
father’s fond wish and entered the ministry. In 1655 
he was ordained minister of the Bafony Church of 
Glasgow. He, however, could find no pleasure in this 
church, since it was divided into two powerful factions, 
the Royalists and Covenanters. Therefore, deciding to 
leave it, he had already mounted his horse, when an old 
woman arrested him, crying: 

“Sir, you have promised to preach on Thursday, and 
have you appointed a meal for poor, starving people, and 
will you go away and not give it? If you do, the curse 
of God will certainly go with you.” 

He at once dismounted and continued his work, 
kindly supported by the Covenanters, but enduring much 
hardship at the hands of the Royalists. His ministry 
was not to last long here. On the Sunday set aside for 
the commemoration of the Restoration, he chose as his 
text the words, “Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other 
people,” Hos. ix, 1, and said, among other things, of 
the King, who had forced upon Scotland the old and, to 
the Covenanters, false beliefs, “The King will be the 
woefullest sight that ever the poor Church of Scotland 
saw: woe, woe, woe unto him. His name shall stink 
while the world stands, for treachery, tyranny, and 
trickery.” 

On the Monday morning following, as he was sit¬ 
ting in his study, he heard a company of dragoons 
thundering to the door. The landlady ran in, calling 
him to hide for his life. “Leave it to me,” he answered 
calmly, and, slipping on a lady’s apron, went to receive 
the troopers. 

“Is that vile traitor, Donald Cargill, here?” 


DONALD CARGILL 


5i 


“Donald Cargill, the minister of Barony, is here, 
if that is who you seek. ,, 

In burst the troopers to search for him in the house, 
while Cargill went to a friend’s house for refuge. 

Cargill now went about preaching to small audiences 
in the open, protected by the friendly people, who stood 
as sentinels, warning him of any approach of the King’s 
dragoons. The Government passed an act, forbidding 
his appearance south of the Tay, which he ignored com¬ 
pletely, He became a field preacher, equalling John 
Knox in his outspokenness against the vices of high and 
low alike, not even sparing the clergy, whom he scored 
roundly for accepting the seductive “Indulgence.” The 
more soldiers that were sent out after Cargill, the more 
friends he found anxious to help him defeat the plans of 
the dragoons, and the more gloriously did his fearless 
courage show itself. 

A paper written by him and found on the person of 
one of his friends, declaring: “We do reject the King 
and those who associate with him in the Government 
from being our King and rulers,” together with his “San- 
quar Declaration,” moved the King to offer a large reward 
for Cargill’s arrest. This put him at the mercy of every 
covetous wretch in the country. Almost every meeting 
was now broken up by some one attempting to capture 
him. Some men even posed as true Covenanters and 
tried thus to lead him into a trap, and narrow were some 
of his escapes in consequence. 

Believing it time now for the church to become the 
aggressor, he carried out his plan by addressing to God 
a tender appeal to comfort the poor hunted Covenanters, 
followed by the solemn excommunication: 

“I, being a minister of Jesus Christ, and having 


52 


DONALD CARGILL 


authority and power from Him, do, in His name, and by 
His Spirit excommunicate, cast out of the true Church, 
and deliver to Satan, Charles the Second, King of 
Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of York, the Duke of 
Monmouth, the Duke of Lauderdale, the Duke of Rothes, 
General Dalziel and Sir George Mackenzie. ,, 

Though the parties concerned pretended to be un¬ 
affected by the excommunication, one of them, Lord 
Rothes, said on his death-bed: 

“We all thought little of what that man Cargill did 
in excommunicating us, but I find that sentence binding 
upon me now, and it will bind to eternity.” 

The Government expressed its feeling by raising the 
prize for Cargill’s arrest to 5000 merks. Thereafter his 
life was one of momentary danger. Disguise, forged 
letters and every artifice was utilized to catch him, and 
he felt that he could no longer trust any man. Finally 
he was caught at Corington Mills by James Irvine of 
Bonshaw, whose mercenary soul could not resist the 
temptation of gaining 5000 merks by consigning a noble 
hero to the scaffold. 

The bitter Lord Rothes had him condemned to the 
gallows, and, gaining his point, hissed at him, “Your 
death shall be one of extreme torture. ,, 

“My Lord Rothes, forbear to threaten me, for die 
what death I will, your eyes shall not see it,” Cargill 
replied, and his prophecy came true, for Rothes died 
suddenly before Cargill was hanged. 

On the scaffold Cargill at first sang a portion of 
Psalm cxviii., after which he spoke a few words, and 
closed with a private prayer. Then he bade his friends 
and this world farewell, commended his soul to God 
and his spirit fled to its Redeemer. 


MRS. MARGARET CARGILL 


53 


He did not die in vain. He lived to preserve his 
faith, but his death did much more than continued life 
could have accomplished. 


MRS. MARGARET CARGILL 

The “Lady of a Loving Spirit” 

A bridal party in Aberdeen, Scotland, was broken 
up a few hours after the marriage ceremony by a mes¬ 
senger who announced that the hour had arrived for the 
departure of the bridal pair. . Now that she was sum¬ 
moned to quit the home of her youth, the bride, a lovely, 
cultivated lady of twenty-three, clung weeping to her 
sorrowful mother's embraces, until she was literally torn 
away and borne to the carriage. 

This young lady, Margaret Cargill, was, with her 
husband, departing to the Friendly Islands, to bear to 
those savages the glad tidings of salvation. Though she 
was perfectly willing, aye eager, to accompany her hus¬ 
band, it caused her momentary irrepressible pain to 
speak a farewell which she felt must be the last on earth. 

The missionaries sailed from England in October, 
1832, and, after some detention in New South Wales, 
reached Tonga in January, 1834. Here they were given 
a royal reception by the missionaries and also the native 
converts, who said with simple kindness, “It is well you 
have sailed toward this place." Everywhere they found 
the good seed sown by the missionaries, who had pre- 
ceeded them, already springing up; and with happy 
hearts they zealously entered upon the work before them. 
Hardships and dangers such as long trips over rough 
seas and in frail canoes from island to island could not 
cool their ardor. So mightily did these missionaries 
preach God's Word under the influence of the Holy 



54 


MRS. MARGARET CARGILL 


Spirit, that they joyfully reaped a rich harvest of souls. 
They soon witnessed the conversion of hundreds and 
felt themselves royally repaid for all discomforts and 
trials, which they had endured. 

Scarcely a year had elapsed, however, before their 
missionary zeal and loyalty was put to a severe test. 
The “District Meeting” held at the close of the year 
appointed Mr. Cargill and a colleague, named Cross, 
to open up a mission in Fiji. What they were to expect 
at the hands of these cannibals they could infer from 
the particulars of a horrid feast recently reported to 
have been held by the Fiji Islanders, at which two hun¬ 
dred men and one hundred women were slaughtered, 
cooked and eaten in one of the islands. Our missionaries 
had been given to expect that Tonga was to be their field 
of labor, and now, without previous intimation, the 
authorities of the mission ordered them, “You must go 
to Fiji!” Though Mrs. Cargill was doubtless startled 
and disappointed, she only replied with meek courage, 

“Well, David, I did not expect it to be so; but the 
Lord knows what is good for us. If it be his will that 
we should go to Fiji, I am content.” 

Accordingly they took their departure of the weep¬ 
ing natives as these gathered on the shore, rending the 
air with loud cries of sorrow. Many of them voiced 
the general feeling in the words: 

“We shall never forget your love to us, nor shall 
we cease to love and pray for you.” 

Thus they departed to the Polynesian Islands, trust¬ 
ing in God’s help, as the stripling David did when he 
went to contend against the giant Goliath. At length 
the island of Lakemba was sighted, but the captain 
dared not to venture inside of the reefs surrounding 


MRS. MARGARET CARGILL 


55 


it until he knew whether the Fijians would treat the 
missionaries as friends or foes. Mr. Cargill and Mr. 
Cross offered to go ashore to test the natives* disposition, 
and accordingly a little boat was lowered over the 
vessel’s side, which with great difficulty passed through 
the surf-beaten channel in the reef. Crowded along the 
shore they saw two hundred natives, mostly men armed 
with muskets, spears, clubs, bows and arrows. Their 
nearly nude bodies were decorated with red and black 
paint. As they gazed on their visitors with silent 
astonishment, it required even a loftier courage of the 
unarmed missionaries to put themselves into the hands 
of such grim warriors than for a troop of trained soldiers 
to storm a breach. Filled, however, with a courage from 
on high, they landed and, through an interpreter brought 
from Tonga, they spoke, 

“We are friends. We love you.” 

The frowning cannibals deigned no reply, until at 
length one of their number commanded, 

“The king is waiting in a house near by. He wants 
to know who you are and what you want.” 

Entering the king’s fortified house, they found that 
monarch a very fat man six feet tall. After they had 
explained the object of their visit, the natives clapped 
their hands as a sign of welcome. The king, equally 
friendly, after many questions, said: 

“I will give you land. I will build you houses. 
I will protect you. I will listen to your instructions.” 

The missionaries were permitted to pass the night 
in the royal canoe-house on the beach, using the large 
canoe as their bedstead, while the lynx-eyed natives 
peeped in through every available crack and opening. 
Myriads of mosquitoes made their temporary lodging- 
place highly uncomfortable; but the thought of the 


56 MRS. MARGARET CARGILL 

difficult field now opened to them reconciled them to this. 

Since many of the natives, who had come over from 
Tonga, understood that dialect, work could be begun 
among them at once. Mrs. Cargill's loving disposition 
easily won the interest and then the love, of the women 
and children, and indeed of most of the natives with 
whom she came in contact, all of whom were wont to say: 

“Mrs. Cargill is a lady of a loving spirit.” 

The first converts, won within a month after land¬ 
ing, were Tonga people who had heard the Gospel taught 
in their native land. These conversions led the Fijians, 
and especially their king, to think seriously of the Gos¬ 
pel. When, after a destructive hurricane, the native 
priests tried to persuade the king that their gods were 
venting their wrath upon him for harboring the foreign 
missionaries, he denied their statements, and ended by 
saying: 

“Tuilakemba (god of Lakemba) is either a lying 
or a foolish God.” 

The chief was right; his god was losing his power. 
In about five years Messrs. Cargill and Cross had, aided 
by assistants sent to them, won over five hundred con¬ 
verts in the Wesleyan societies of the Fiji Islands. 

On June 2, 1840, when but thirty-one years of age, 
our heroine was called to her eternal reward., At the 
end, when her husband anxiously asked, “Are you really 
going to leave me, Margaret?” she sweetly responded, 
“Jesus bids me come,” and, filled with joy, passed away. 

A fitting compliment was paid her by a Fijian chief, 
not a Christian, when he was viewing her dead body. 
Said he: “She is like herself and appears to be asleep. 
There lies a lady who was never angry with us, and who 
always smiled when we entered her house.” She was 
indeed a “lady of a loving spirit.” 


WILLIAM CAREY 

The Great Bible Translator 

On August 17, 1761, there was born at Paulersbury, 
Northamptonshire, England, a boy, who was later to 
be beloved by God and man. In his youth William Carey 
received an excellent education and evidenced a diligent 
disposition, showing preference, however, for geography, 
history and for the study of nature. His spiritual pro¬ 
gress, though, was not so well attended to. Although 
his parents were attached to the Established Church, 
Carey’s acquaintance with some of the members gave 
him an aversion for that church. While he was working 
as a shoemaker in Hackleton, at the age of sixteen, one 
of his associates, the son of a dissenter, took a deep 
interest in Carey’s spiritual welfare, and occasionally 
lent him a religious book. Carey was induced to attend 
a small dissenting meeting at Hackleton on Sunday even¬ 
ings, and finally joined that church. 

He now became an active witness for God and for 
the truth. He preached at Hackleton at stated intervals 
for three years and a half, while he also performed a 
similar duty at Paulersbury. Upon offering himself to 
the church at Olney, he was accepted and formally set 
apart for the ministry. Finding the salary inadequate 
for his support, he settled at Moulton and again labored 
at his old trade of shoe-making. All spare time was 
devoted to study, in which languages were made a spe¬ 
cialty, and here, first, was kindled the missionary spirit, 
which determined his later life. Here, alone with God, 
he contemplated upon the moral condition of the world. 
Finally, by persevering effort, he succeeded in interesting 
a few persons in his plans, and the little circle thus 
formed set aside the first Monday of each month as 

57 


58 


WILLIAM CAREY 


a season of united prayer for the conversion of the world. 
Carey’s suggestion to form a society for this purpose 
was at first received with surprise and mockery, but his 
zeal could not be dampened, and by writing a pamphlet 
on the subject, he aroused enough enthusiasm to make 
the formation of a missionary society possible. Though 
it had at first feeble support, full of hopeful expectations, 
Mr. Carey at once offered himself as a missionary to 
Bengal, East Indies, and was accepted. 

Obstacles could not daunt Carey. The society as 
yet had too little money to do anything; but, by prayer¬ 
ful solicitation of subscriptions, this difficulty was sur¬ 
mounted. However, when Mrs. Carey heard of her 
husband’s purpose, she refused to accompany him, and 
though her resolution was overruled, her presence was 
only a burden to her husband, on account of her mental 
affliction. 

The sacrifices required of Carey to execute his 
cherished plan can hardly be exaggerated. Leaving 
behind friends, relatives and all the comforts of civiliza¬ 
tion, he was going, as the first missionary, to a foreign 
and practically unknown land, where apparently nothing 
but danger and opposition and discouragement awaited 
him; for even the English settlers and the East India 
Company were opposed to the spread of the Gospel, and 
for a native Indian to have any intercourse with a for¬ 
eigner was for him to break his caste, which meant isola¬ 
tion and social death. 

After Mr. John Thomas, a Christian physician, who 
had visited India, and who seemed providentially called, 
was chosen to accompany Carey, the two missionaries 
set sail June 13, 1793, and arrived at Calcutta on Novem¬ 
ber the 11th. Carey at once took up his gigantic task 


WILLIAM CAREY 


59 


among the immense heathen multitude, composed of 
numerous tribes, speaking twenty-five or more languages, 
and infinitely more dialects, and began his attempt to 
break down immoral Hindooism, which was strengthened 
by the influence of remote antiquity, and was supported, 
besides, by the East India Company merchants. 

Soon after arriving, Mr. Thomas lost the petty 
allowance given them by the society and the missionaries 
were immediately reduced to destitution. The unfor¬ 
tunate physician advised to abandon the work; but 
Carey was a stranger to despair, and at once sought 
means of self-support. This was no easy matter, for, 
on account of their social order of castes, the Indians 
would have no intercourse with foreigners; but, at this 
extremity, George Udney, who had set up two indigo fac¬ 
tories, offered to give Carey and his companion charge 
of them. This grateful offer was accepted without hesita¬ 
tion and, though the friends at home were at first sur¬ 
prised and dissatisfied, Carey convinced them that he 
could do a double amount of work when necessary; for, 
despite the rigorous application demanded by the factory 
situation, he preached regularly to the English inhab¬ 
itants and addressed the natives through an interpreter, 
besides his studying the language and translating the 
scriptures. 

In autumn sorrow entered his home by the death of 
a five year old son; and the grief was increased by the 
attitude of the natives, who, on account of their rules 
regulating the castes, would have no intercourse with 
his family, and thus forced him to dig the grave and 
bury his son with his own hands. But he was sustained 
under these sorrows and exerted himself with new energy 
in his labor of love. 


6o 


WILLIAM CAREY 


New difficulties were allowed to beset him. In 1798, 
Mr. Udney met with losses which made the suspension 
of his indigo factories necessary, and thus deprived the 
missionaries of both their means of support and of their 
shield from governmental molestation. At the same time, 
four new missionaries, who had arrived at Calcutta, were 
premptorily ordered to leave the country. In this 
exigency, Mr. Cunninghame of Dinagepore relieved them 
from pecuniary embarrassment by a generous advance 
Mr. Carey at once invested his money in an indigo fac¬ 
tory at Kiddespore, and made preparations to remove 
thither; but the Danish governor, who had enjoyed 
Christian instruction, called them to Serampore, insured 
them of his protection there, and since his duty appeared 
evident, he sacrificed his entire purchase and, in January, 
1800, he repaired to Serampore. 

In his new shelter, Mr. Carey worked vigorously, 
so that the whole Bible, except 2d Kings and 2d 
Chronicles, was completed and portions of it, being 
printed, were put into circulation. Besides this he 
preached to the natives five or six times a week, and 
once on Sundays to the English. A free school, opened 
for native children, soon had fifty scholars, while a board¬ 
ing school in English was also established. As a result 
of his labors he had the pleasure of seeing his sons, Felix 
and William, converted and soon afterwards followed 
the gathering of the first convert from heathenism, while 
four more converts followed within the same year. 

Carey's valuable assistant, Mr. Thomas, now became 
mentally afflicted and was taken to a hospital, but he 
died within a few months, leaving Carey alone to con¬ 
tinue the work. 

The Lord did not forsake his humble servant. In 


WILLIAM CAREY 


61 


1800 Carey had finished translating the entire Bible into 
Bengali, and within the same year he was appointed 
teacher of Bengali and Sanscrit in the college of Fort 
William, established for the instruction of the junior 
civil servants of the East India Company. This was 
a great deal of additional work, since he had to prepare 
his own grammars, vocabularies and elementary books, 
and only his habitual diligence and strictness of method 
enabled him to save the most sacred pursuit of his life 
from neglect. That he did pursue his missionary labors 
is proven by his report in 1803, that twenty-five con¬ 
verts were baptized and that thirty-nine had become 
Church members during his ministry. 

With tireless energy, Carey still widened the field 
of his labors, for he now began the translation of the 
Bible into the Hindoostani, Persian, Mahratta, and Ookul 
languages, besides preaching in Bengali and English. 
The results of his labors became constantly more cheer¬ 
ing, for in 1804, he reported eight new baptisms, and in 
1806 twenty-seven. In 1806 he began making translations 
from the Sanscrit for the Asiatic Society. In the same 
year he began that gigantic undertaking, with which his 
fame is most completely identified,—the translation of the 
Scriptures into all the languages of the East. Beginning 
in his usual, methodical way, he summoned learned 
natives from the different countries, and each translated 
the Bible into his own tongue from a version already 
prepared in a language, with which he was familiar, 
and Mr. Carey revised the versions as they proceeded. 
Though such translations must naturally be imperfect, 
Mr. Carey saw that they could be used as vehicles of the 
truth into regions which would long remain unvisited 
by missionaries, and would serve well before more 
accurate versions could be prepared. 


62 


WILLIAM CAREY 


On January 8, 1808, Mrs. Carey, who had, for 
twelve years, been a burden on her husband’s hands, was 
removed by death, and, within the same year, Dr. Carey 
married a German lady, from Calcutta, who was one of 
his first European converts. In August of this year he 
was brought near the grave by a fever, but was mercifully 
restored to continue his labors. 

On March 12, 1812, a great disaster occurred in the 
conflagration of the printing office. Manuscripts of great 
value and fonts of type in thirteen different languages 
and a large quantity of paper were lost. Large contri¬ 
butions were at once raised in England. Fortunately the 
matrices of the type destroyed were not lost; and so 
the type was recast and the manuscripts were reprinted 
and within a year the damaged property was restored. 

In 1817 began a misunderstanding with the Baptist 
Missionary Society which finally resulted in the separa¬ 
tion of the mission from the parent society. This, how¬ 
ever, was for the best and did not impair the regard of 
Dr. Carey for his friends at home. 

In May, 1821, Dr. Carey sustained a heavy loss 
in the death of his second wife, who was a true Christian 
and a helpful companion. 

Even in his old age he was still active. In. 1820 he 
issued a circular on Indian agriculture and in that way 
began an agricultural society. In 1823 he was elected 
a fellow of the Linnaean Society, a member of the 
Geological Society and a corresponding member of the 
Horticultural Society of London. 

Towards the close of the year he fell, causing a 
violent contusion of the hip-joint, and as a result had 
an attack of fever, which greatly weakened him. Still he 
would not cease working and in 1825, his Bengali die- 


JACOB CHAMBERLAIN 63 

tionary was published, and in 1830 a revised Bengali 
version of the Scriptures. 

He was now very weak and fevers and other dis¬ 
orders attacked him with increased frequency, and warned 
him that he must prepare to depart. He looked forward 
to the change that awaited him with the same cheerful 
and humble serenity, which had characterized him 
through his whole life; and in this state of mind, he 
continued until the 9th of June, 1834, when he “fell 
asleep.” His truly humble spirit is beautifully expressed 
in his epitaph, for, despite the marvelous achievements, 
which his energetic and zealous labors for the Master 
accomplished with the Lord’s help, he desired the follow¬ 
ing inscription on his stone: “A wretched, poor and 
helpless worm, on thy kind arms I fall.” 


JACOB CHAMBERLAIN 

The Gospel Hero Among Barbarians 

“Swing shut the city gates; run and tell the sentinels 
to stand guard and let no one pass in or out till we have 
made way with these preachers of other Gods. No news 
shall ever go out of the city as to what has become 
of them.” 

This was the welcome Rev. Chamberlain received at 
a walled city in the Kingdom of Hyderbad in the domin¬ 
ions of the Nizim. It was in the afternoon of an August 
'day in 1863. Just after he had entered through the 
tremendous iron city gates fastened in high granite walls, 
Chamberlain saw his native assistants returning from 
a tour of inspection and scripture selling in the city. 
Behind them followed a hooting rabble of citizens. They 
told him that it was unsafe to enter the city and that, 



64 


JACOB CHAMBERLAIN 


though they had sold a few gospels and tracts, the 
Mohammedan zealots and Braham priests, discovering 
the Scriptures antagonistic to their systems, had made 
an effort to stop their sale. 

“Have you proclaimed the gospel message to the 
people?” Dr. Chamberlain asked his assistants. 

“No, Sir; we have only sold a few books and 
tracts.” 

“Then we must do so now. Did we not make a 
solemn vow that we would not pass a single town or 
village without proclaiming the Master’s message, and 
have we not His covenant, ‘Lo, I am with you?’ I at 
least must go to the market-place and preach. You need 
not accompany me unless you think best.” 

The native assistants chose to accompany him, say¬ 
ing that they, too, had taken the vow, so they walked 
firmly up the street to the market place, followed by an 
ever-increasing and dangerous mob. Gaining the market, 
where there stood a roof supported by large masonry 
pillars, Chamberlain ascended the steps and directed his 
catechists: “Place your backs against these pillars, so 
that no one can attack you from behind, and keep a 
sharp watch on all, .but show no signs of fear. The 
Master is with us; His promise is good.” 

Turning to the people, he spoke to them politely 
in Telugu, that he might be understood by all, but 
received the angry response, “Leave this place at once.” 

“Friends,” said he, “I have come from far to tell 
you some good news. I will tell it to you and then 
we will go.” 

“No,” said a few, who seemed to be the leaders, 
“we will not hear you. You have come to proclaim 
another God. You do so at your peril. You see this 


JACOB CHAMBERLAIN 


65 


an gry mob. One word from us and you are dead. Leave 
the city instantly and we will see you safely out of the 
gates. Dare to say a word against our gods and we 
will loose this mob upon you.” 

The furious rabble began to tear up the cobble 
paving stones to hurl them at the missionary. 

Still undaunted, that one replied that he had come 
to deliver a message and would not leave until he had 
done so. 

“Swing shut the gates,” came the order. 

One nudged another, saying, “You throw the first 
stone and I will throw the second,” but Chamberlain’s 
keen glance made them quail and hesitate. The man 
of God was sensitive of the Master’s presence and support 
and felt no fear, but only concern as to how he might 
best deliver His message. His quick eye discerned five 
honest countenances among the mob, which had shown 
no sympathy with the abuse heaped upon the missionary; 
so he continued: 

“I see five men before me who wish to hear my 
story. Will you all step back a little? I will tell these 
five why I came here, and then you may stone me. 
Brother with the red-bordered turban,” said he, address¬ 
ing a venerable Brahman to his right, “you would like 
to hear my wonderful story before they stone me, would 
you not? Be frank, for there are four others who wish 
to hear.” 

The man assented courageously and kindly, as did 
the remaining four, and stepped forward, while the others 
reluctantly fell back a little. 

Chamberlain at once aroused the interest of these 
five Brahmans by telling them of the sinfulness of the 
soul, which they themselves acknowledged, repeating 


66 


JACOB CHAMBERLAIN 


some of their chants to the effect, and asked them if they 
knew how to rid themselves of that sin. 

“No, Sir; we do not know. Would that we did.” 

The missionary said he would tell them. 

The multitude, seeing the Brahams conversing with 
the foreigners with evident respect, became more quite 
and stepped nearer to listen. 

“Step back, step back,” Chamberlain commanded, 
“It is only these five to whom I am to tell my story.” 
Naturally they became intensely interested and crowded 
closer. 

Again he chanted from one of their poets a con¬ 
fession of the vanity of all holy pilgrimmages, thus gain¬ 
ing at once the ear of the people. Gradually and imper- 
ceptably he raised his voice until all the multitude 
crowding the three streets leading to the market could 
hear. He told the old, old story of Jesus, of His birth, 
wonderful life, His blessed words, His marvelous deeds 
and His sorrowful death, painting all in graphic words 
given him by God standing at his side. Stealthily the 
people had dropped their armfuls of cobble stones in the 
gutter and now tears coursed down their cheeks. 

How they did listen when he told them of His ascen¬ 
sion from Mt. Olivet and of His going to prepare a 
mansion for the souls of the righteous dead! 

“Now,” he concluded, folding his arms, “I have 
finished my story and you may come and stone me.” 

“No, no” they replied, “we don’t want to stone you 
now. We did not know whose messenger you were, nor 
what you had come to tell us. Do your books tell more 
about this wonderful Redeemer? 

He replied that they contained much more than he 
could tell them and offered them for sale, expaining 


ELEANOR CHESTNUT 


67 


that he had to press onward on the morrow. At once 
wallets were produced, and the people purchased all the 
gospels and tracts that the missionary had with him, 
after which they begged forgiveness for insults given 
on account of their ignorance and a deputation of men 
escorted him and his assistants to their camp. Truly 
the story of the Cross has not yet lost its power. 


ELEANOR CHESTNUT 

The Martyr Physician 

On the wall of one of the rooms of the Presbyterian 
Foreign Mission Board is placed a bronze tablet bearing 
first in the list the name of Eleanor Chestnut, M. D., 
“who, for Christ’s sake, suffered cruel death at Lien- 
chou, China, October 28, 1905.” 

This noble heroine was born at Waterloo, Iowa, on 
January 8, 1868. Of her parents she knew little, since her 
father, an Irishman, died about the time of her birth, 
and her mother, who was a Manx woman, died three 
years later. Therefore she was raised by kind but poor 
neighbors, who were charmed by “her loving, kindly 
ways, her obedience in the family circle, her studious 
habits, and her unselfish ways.” She herself, however, 
said that she, filled with inward resentment against her 
lonely fate, longed for the sympathy of a mother’s love 
and rebelled against her unhappy and lonesome lot. Her 
great happiness lay in her school, into which she threw 
herself with all her energy. Having finished the public 
school at Waterloo at twelve, she, in her characteristic 
independent fashion, herself wrote to the president of 
Park College, about which she had heard, telling him of 
her longings and difficulties, and received an invitation 
to come to Parkville. 



68 


ELEANOR CHESTNUT 


There she at once found a congenial atmosphere, and, 
under the College’s Christian influence many defects 
in her nature, which no mother’s intelligent and jealous 
care had corrected, were erased. She joined the Church, 
and did more: she decided to become a missionary. By 
way of preparation she finished a course in medicine 
in Chicago and in 1893 sent in a formal application for 
missionary appointment. She was at once appointed as 
a medical missionary to South China and sailed for 
Hongkong in 1894. 

Arriving at her own station at Sam-kong, she at 
once began her study of Northern Mandarin. There, 
in the neighborhood, were a girls’ boarding school, three 
churches and medical wards for men and women, but 
they were very inadequate. She had to labor there at a 
disadvantage, because of the difficulty of the scarcity of 
drugs and the difficulty of finding those that were there, 
since they were labeled in Chinese. 

Though she reached China at about the time of the 
anti-foreign disturbance, she was permitted to prosecute 
her work in peace. Her station was yet undisturbed. 

In 1893, Dr. Chestnut removed to a more favorable 
location at Lien-chou, where she superintended a men’s 
hospital, besides for a time conducting all the work in 
the mission in the absence of Dr. Machle. 

She came home on a furlough in 1902, and spent 
her time doing post-graduate work in medicine, making 
missionary addresses and raising over a thousand dollars 
for a chapel at Lien-chou; but she returned again in 1903, 
and in her last letters home urged the need of building 
a boys’ boarding school, as the present one was too 
small, and of another doctor to take her place that she 
might remove to Ham-kuang. 


TITUS COAN 


69 


Her next removal, however, was to a city far more 
fair and glorious. It was on the Chinese All Souls’ 
Day, which was celebrated with the usual idolatrous 
ceremonies. A shed for the purpose was erected on the 
mission premises. Dr. Machle remonstrated with the 
elders, but a mob came up, armed with a sword, a revol¬ 
ver and sticks. Dr. Chestnut was hurrying off to report 
the matter to the Chinese authorities, and might have 
escaped, had she not returned when she saw the peril 
of the others. They all sought refuge in a Buddhist 
temple and were all caught there, but Dr., Machle and 
Miss Patterson. Miss Chestnut was brought to the 
temple steps, at the foot of a large tree, where she sat 
down on a mound. There some young Chinese struck 
her a blow with a piece of wood, after which she was 
thrown off a steep bank into the river. She lay in the 
water as though asleep. Yet some men jumped after her 
and stabbed her three times with a trident. The other 
captives were also killed. 

Thus, this noble young lady fell as a martyr to her 
Saviour’s cause. Her work is done, her earthly life is 
ended, and she has entered into the higher service of life 
everlasting. 


TITUS COAN 

Foremost Missionary to the Hawaiian Islands 

One day in the year 1809 a Hawaiian boy named 
Obookiah was found sitting on the steps of a Yale College 
building, crying. He longed for an education that he 
might return and tell his people of Christ. “The people 
of Hawaii are very bad,” he complained; “they pray to 
gods made of wood. I want to learn to read the Bible, 
and go back there and tell them to pray to God up 



7 o 


TITUS COAN 


in heaven.” His wish was realized. Assistance was 
given him by Samuel J. Mills and in 1819 he and some 
others set sail for Hawaii. 

The God, who had so strangely called the mission¬ 
aries to Hawaii, also prepared the way for them. King 
Kamehameha had subjugated the islands by a series of 
bloody wars and, displeased by the power which the 
heathen priests had gained over his people, had called 
for teachers from Vancouver to counteract it. Accord- 
ingly, when the missionaries reached the harbor of Oahu 
in 1820, they could praise the Lord with the words, “Sing, 
O heavens, for the Lord hath done it,” for they found 
a land without a religion, and also without idols. 

Thurston, Bingham and the others were kindly 
received, and, preaching to large audiences of attentive 
listeners, prepared for the phenomenal results of their 
successor, Titus Coan, who arrived in 1835. Within a 
year Coan was already able to preach to the people in 
their own tongue, and did so to ever growing audiences, 
until, two years after his arrival, he was the pastor of 
fifteen thousand people. The whole population was 
receptive and eager for the Gospel, and the zealous mis¬ 
sionary longed for wings that he might hasten to answer 
their cry. He went from island to island, tramping over 
mountains and through floods, and saw “the people turn 
out wonderfully.” When detected on the street, a crowd 
would gather about him, expecting a sermon, and he 
reported: “I preached just as hard as I could. I felt 
that I must preach to these people.” 

Realizing that he was unable to reach all the people 
by these visits, Coan at last invited them to come to him. 
They did high and low, healthy, sick and lame, walked, 
crawled or were carried to the place of worship. Within 


TITUS COAN 


7 1 


the radius of a mile little cabins arose as if by magic, 
clustered thick as they could stand. The population of 
Hilo shot up from one to ten thousand, and for about 
two years a veritable camp-meeting was held at the place. 
A Sunday stillness always rested over the crowded town, 
and at sunrise and sunset the voice of praise and 
prayer arose from every booth. Of how many of our 
own so-called civilized towns can that be said? A tap of 
the bell would gather an audience of thousands at any 
time of the night. 

Coan’s marvellous success can only be explained as 
the blessed work of God. The first Sunday in July, 1838, 
as many as 1705 persons, who had recently been pagans, 
were received by profession of faith. In the following 
year 5244 more professed conversion. When he left Hilo 
in 1870, the missionary had received 11,960 souls into 
communion and so sincerely did they cling to the faith, 
that only one in sixty had to be brought under dis¬ 
cipline. There were sixty self-supporting churches in 
the islands, with a membership of 15,000. Though poor 
in worldly goods, the converts gave annually $30,000 for 
the furtherance of the Gospel, and as late as 1892, their 
monthly offerings to missions averaged $100, and the 
total of the gifts to all religious purposes amounted to 
$100,000. In Hilo they built a church costing $14,000. 

The evening of his life Mr. Coan spent as the pastor 
of a large church in Hilo where he threw himself into 
his work with all the ardor of his youth, until in 1882 
he was stricken with paralysis, and died December 1. 

The secret of his success lies in the words of an 
aged missionary, spoken in the presence of the Hawaiian 
king and dignitaries. Holding up the Bible translated 
into the Hawaiian language, he said: “Not with powder 


72 


THOMAS COKE 


and ball, and swords and cannon, but with this living 
Word of God, and His Spirit, do we go forth to conquer 
the islands for Christ.” 


THOMAS COKE 

First Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church 

Thomas Coke, the first bishop of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and the founder of numerous missions, 
was born at Brecon, Wales, September 9, 1747. On 
account of the early death of his father, an eminent 
surgeon, his education was left to the care of his mother, 
who placed him under the instruction of Rev. Griffith, 
master of the Brecon grammar school. At the age of 
seventeen he entered Jesus College, Oxford, where he 
was exposed to evil and un-Christian companionship, 
which, for a short time, directed his step on the down¬ 
ward road. In this condition, however, his conscience 
would not permit him to remain, and the discourses of 
Bishop Sherlock led him to the light. He now began 
studying the doctrines of Christianity, led a serious and 
studious life, and resolved to devote himself to the 
ministry. 

On leaving the university, at the age of twenty-one, 
he was chosen common councilman in the borough of 
Brecon, and at the age of twenty-five was placed at the 
head of the municipality. Shortly afterwards he obtained 
the curacy of South Petherton, in Somersetshire, and in 
1775 took his degree as doctor in the Civil Law, at 
Oxford. 

He took charge of South Petherton parish and 
preached sound truths with an earnestness of conviction 
that attracted audiences larger than the church could 
contain. Galleries were necessary, and when the parish 
refused to erect them, Coke did so at his own cost, which 



THOMAS COKE 


73 


showed his Christian zeal and started a rumor that he 
was a “Methodist/’ A Wesleyan preacher, hearing of 
this, did much to enlighten him on the subject of his 
inquiries and peace entered Coke’s soul. Now he 
preached with a directness and earnestness that created 
opposition, and finally he left the parish. 

Since his wealth made his working as a minister 
totally unnecessary, he was, for a time, undecided as to 
what course to pursue; but soon he met Mr. John Wes¬ 
ley, at Taunton, whose views coincided with his own, 
and he decided to cast his lot with the Wesleyan Metho¬ 
dists. In 1777, he first attended a Methodist conference, 
where he was appointed to labor in London. His ministry 
there was both popular and useful and his congregations 
were immense. In 1780 he was appointed to preside over 
the London circuit, and at this time he undertook to 
assist Mr. Wesley in visiting all his numerous societies, 
both in England and in Ireland. 

In 1784, since it was necessary to provide some 
Church organization for the Methodists of America, 
Wesley ordained Dr. Coke and sent him as the first 
superintendent to organize the Church and to ordain 
Mr. Ashbury, an American minister. At a conference 
called at Baltimore on Christmas eve, 1784, it was decided 
to constitute an independent Church, called the Metho¬ 
dist Episcopal Church, and Dr. Coke and Francis Ash¬ 
bury were elected bishops, after which Dr. Coke ordained 
Mr. Ashbury. Cokesbury College was, at this time, 
founded near Baltimore, but after flourishing five years 
it was destroyed by fire, and, after it had been re-opened 
in a building in Baltimore, a second conflagration led 
to the abandonment of the enterprise. 

In 1785, after laboring enthusiastically in America, 


74 


THOMAS COKE 


he returned to England to help Mr. Wesley as he had 
before. Missionary enterprises occupied his mind, and 
in 1786 he established a Methodist Society on the 
island of Guernsey. The needs of Nova Scotia, but 
partially relieved, determined him, with three other 
missionaries, to set out to preach the Gospel there, but 
the ship was driven out of its way by a tempest and 
was forced to come to anchor in the harbor of Antigua, 
of the West Indies, on December 25, 1786. He was so 
impressed by the religious progress made there that 
he left the missionaries where Providence had led them 
and gathered information to serve as a basis for future 
action. 

In 1787 he set sail for Charleston and, traveling 
through the different states, noticed the rapid progress 
of the Church and attended several conferences. While 
there his vigorous testimony against slavery excited 
indignation against him, so that even his life was 
threatened; but his fearless discretion raised him above 
harm. In May he sailed for Dublin and, arriving there, 
joined Mr. Wesley at the Irish conference. 

The statements made by him concerning the pro¬ 
vidential circumstances which had led him to the West 
Indies and of the moral condition of the people clearly 
showed the duty of sending additional missionaries to 
the West Indies, and Dr. Coke undertook soliciting funds 
for their support. In 1788, three missionaries were 
designated, with whom he sailed for Barbadoes, an island 
of the West Indies not before visited by him. Traveling 
from island to island, he witnessed the progress of the 
work and saw the obstacles it had to contend with, of 
which the greatest was the persecution of the mission¬ 
aries, which was carried on chiefly in the island St. 
Eustatius. 


THOMAS COKE 


75 


In 1789 he returned home by way of the United 
States. Again he solicited contributions and on October 
16, 1790, he sailed with two other missionaries for the 
West Indies. Arriving there, he traveled from one 
station to another, trying to build up the work. St. 
Eustatius was still closed to the Gospel, and he deter¬ 
mined to lay the case before the government of Holland, 
the mother country. 

When he had arrived in America, he learned of 
Wesley’s death, and at once, on the 14th of May, 1791, 
sailed for England. On his arrival he had to meet some 
jealousies and suspicions, to which his conscious position 
in the Wesleyan connection rendered him liable at such 
a time. Two biographies were written on Wesley’s 
life; one by Messrs. Coke and Moore, published in 1792, 
and another by Dr. Whitehead, who secured possession 
of Mr. Wesley’s manuscripts upon the latter’s death. 

Following an invitation by several Englishmen in 
Paris, Dr. Coke now made an attempt to begin a Metho¬ 
dist Society in that city; but, on account of the excite¬ 
ment caused by the French revolution, the attempt failed. 
Later, at the termination of the conference of 1792, he 
sailed again for the West Indies, accompanied by one 
other missionary. He found St. Eustatius and some 
other islands still closed; but at such places as Antigua 
and Barbadoes the missionaries were successful. 

In 1793 he took passage for England at Jamaica and 
made an attempt to have the Dutch West Indies opened 
to missionary enterprise, himself making a visit to Hol¬ 
land, but without success. He had promised the Amer¬ 
icans to settle in their country; but their English 
brethren sent an appeal to the American Methodists 
that the latter relieve the Doctor of his promise. The 


76 


THOMAS COKE 


doctor, wishing to be relieved, added his appeal to their’s, 
with the result that they permitted him to remain, on 
condition that he should remain subject to their call. 

Dr. Coke’s labors were now divided between his 
commentary on the Bible, the solicitation of funds for 
missions and his customary visitations. He soon con¬ 
ceived the design of a mission to the Irish peasants by 
persons speaking their native language,—an enterprise 
crowned with success. 

In 1799 he made his eighth voyage to America, and 
upon his return, in 1800, proceeded to Ireland, where the 
Methodist societies had suffered somewhat from the late 
rebellion. Now he made arrangements to send out Welsh 
speaking missionaries to Wales, with great success. 

In 1805 he married an excellent lady of ample for¬ 
tune, which she was happy to contribute liberally to the 
cause of missions. In the same year the doctor in¬ 
stituted an extended system of home missions at his 
own expense. His commentary was now finished and 
was published and circulated in 1807. In 1808 he had 
a measure annulled which had been passed in Jamaica 
to suppress Methodist worship in the island. 

In 1811 his wife died. He now began a mission 
among the French prisoners of war; but an early peace 
put an end to this, and the missionaries were sent to 
Sierra Leone, at his private expense. Towards the end 
of this year he married a second time, but his wife 
died in one year. 

Hitherto he had acted as a superintendent, director 
and supporter of missions; but he now intended to go 
out into the field personally, expecting to pass the rest 
of his days as a missionary in Ceylon. “To the remon¬ 
strances of his friends with reference to his personal 


THOMAS COKE 


77 


risks at that period of his life, and the difficulty of 
adapting his physical habits and organs of speech to 
a tropical climate and an oriental tongue, he replied that 
he was dead to England and alive to India.” At the con¬ 
ference of 1813, he presented himself with six others, 
whom he had engaged to accompany him, as ready to 
start to India. When objections were made on account 
of expense, he, with customary generosity, offered to 
advance the necessary funds, from his private posses¬ 
sions, if necessary, to the extent of six thousand pounds. 

Before starting out Dr. Coke provided for the con¬ 
tinued support of the missions already in operation, 
which had been carried forward, notwithstanding their 
extent and magnitude, under his charge. On the 30th 
of December, 1813, the company departed, in two ships 
of a fleet of thirty-three merchantmen, convoyed by 
eight vessels of war. On passing Cape of Good Hope 
they were exposed to violent gales, and several sailors 
were carried overboard. Dr. Coke now became some¬ 
what ill, and on the 24th of April, 1814, he was found 
dead in his room, stricken down by an apoplectic stroke. 

The Christian world justly mourned his death, for 
indeed he was a great man. Besides being one of the 
leading factors in the organization and support of the 
now great Methodist Church, he himself did the work 
of a missionary society in sending out, and supporting 
chiefly by his own means forty-three missionaries to the 
East and West Indies, and to America, and he was him¬ 
self on the way to India in company with five others 
when he died and was buried in the Indian Ocean, May 
2, 1814, while the five men who accompanied him went 
to Ceylon, and began their labors. In performing his 
Christian labors, Coke crossed the Atlantic Ocean 
eighteen times. His boldness, decision and indomitable 


MELVILLE BEVERIDGE COX 


;S 

zeal, under the control of a high sense of duty, made him 
successful in his great undertakings, and made him one 
of the great men in the Church of Christ. 


MELVILLE BEVERIDGE COX 

A Self-Sacrificed Martyr of Liberia 

A pale young man approached the venerable Bishop 
Hedding to speak to him. Prostrated with grief at the 
early death of his beloved wife, he had been forced to 
quit his charge and travel further south to regain his 
health, and was yet an invalid. The young man opened 
his heart freely to the Bishop, expressing his zeal to 
bear the light of the Gospel to the unhappy heathen, 
and ending with the words, “I desire very much to be 
sent as a missionary to South America.” 

“Why not go to Liberia?” asked the Bishop, who 
had already vainly tried to find a man for that land of 
fatal fevers and almost invariable early death. An infant 
colony of freedmen was there, sent out by the Coloniza¬ 
tion Society, which might grow into a community and 
become a light to the benighted tribes of interior Africa. 
A white missionary sent out by the Baptists, Calvin Hor¬ 
ton, had already fallen by the deadly fever. Was the 
missionary fire in the invalid’s breast sufficiently strong 
to incline him to say “Yes?” 

“If the Lord will, I will go,” the youth, Melville B. 
Cox, replied, after a thoughtful pause. He knew that 
he was, in all probability, signing his death-warrant by 
these words and one less consecrated to his Master would 
have wavered when reflecting on the perils of his pro¬ 
posed mission; but his noble soul thought not of himseli 
but of the work he would accomplish for the poor freed- 



MELVILLE BEVERIDGE COX 


79 


men struggling with the difficulties of settlement in a 
new home in a sickly climate. 

After suitable arrangements had been made, he was 
duly appointed by the Methodist Missionary Society to 
the Liberian Mission. With exultant eagerness and a 
radiant face, he wrote, “I thirst to be on my way. I pray 
that God may go with me there. I have no lingering 
fear. A grave in Africa shall be sweet to me if he 
sustain me.” 

He did not doubt but that he would be called upon 
to lay down his life for the good of Liberia. Perhaps 
he regarded himself as a needed sacrifice for the good 
of not only Liberia, but for that of the countless hosts 
of degraded beings in Africa. Doubtless this truly sub¬ 
lime thought led him to write, “I know that I cannot live 
long in Africa, but I hope to live long enough to get 
there; and if it please God that my bones shall lie in an 
African grave, I shall have established such a bond 
between Africa and the Church at home as shall not be 
broken until Africa be redeemed.” 

With a similar spirit of self-sacrifice, he said to 
one of the students of Wesleyan University, at Middle- 
ton, Connecticut, when visiting that school, “If I die 
in Africa, you must come over and write my epitaph.” 

“I will,” replied the young man, “but what shall 
I write?” 

“Write, Let a thousand fall before Africa be given 
up,” was the grand response. 

When the day of embarkation arrived, his high 
purpose was put to a practical test in the failing cour¬ 
age of the young woman, who had promised to accompany 
him. He had to go alone, bidding adieu to the graves 
of his beloved wife and child and to his personal friends, 


8o 


MELVILLE BEVERIDGE COX 


to the Church and his native land. Yet, even in view 
of his premonition of impending death, he never faltered, 
and though he confessed frankly that he felt a little sad¬ 
ness, with unshrinking faith and hope, he stood the 
test. 

He began his voyage in the “Jupiter” on November 
6, 1832. He was prostrated by sea-sickness, while un¬ 
usually severe storms rudely tossed the vessel, but his 
firm spirit was unaffected. In mid-ocean he was busy 
planning mission-house, school, church and farm. In the 
happy vision of hope he already saw young converts, 
churches, circuits, stations and conferences in Liberia. 
As the bark neared the land, his longings, like those of 
Xenophon’s Greeks, when nearing the sea, grew to 
impatience, and when the coast became dimly visible 
he enthusiastically exclaimed, “l have seen Liberia, 
and live! It rises up as yet like a cloud of heaven!” 

Landing at Monrovia on March 7, 1833, he, with the 
zeal and energy of the disciples of old, at once threw 
himself into his work. He preached, purchased a mis¬ 
sion house, disclosed his plans to the people, improved 
the Sunday Schools, held a camp-meeting, visited the 
colonists at their homes, chose suitable places for mis¬ 
sionary occupation, secured a church lot and thus 
executed numberless plans which had filled his mind 
yearning for the salvation of the millions of God’s de¬ 
graded children. 

In less than four months, however, the fatal fever 
had laid its burning hand upon him, and its touch was 
the touch of death. On July 21, he awoke from a torpid 
slumber, cried, “Come, come, come, Lord Jesus, come 
quickly!” and then ascended to Paradise. 

He fell, as he had expected, a sacrifice on the mis- 


SAMUEL ADJAI CROWTHER 81 

sionary altar for the salvation of Africa, but his spirit 
still lives on, giving inspiration to the missionary spirit 
of our Church. Even before he had passed away, his 
example, unknown to himself, had moved five others of 
a spirit like unto his own, to risk their lives for Africa’s 
good. Now the Church, inspired by lives of heroic sac¬ 
rifice like that of Melville Cox, is encircling the globe 
with missionary churches and stations. 


SAMUEL ADJAI CROWTHER 

Africa’s Slave-Boy Bishop 

One day in about the year 1820, some slave stealers; 
entered a village of one of the largest tribes of negroes 
on the west coast of Africa and, capturing men, women 
and children, drove them in chains to the coast to put 
them aboard ships and transport them to the slave mar¬ 
kets. Among others the family of a little eleven-year- 
old black boy, named Adjai, was captured and he was 
separated from his parents and brothers and sisters. 
After a long, weary tramp and long days of suffering 
in a crowded slave pen, he was put on board a slave ship. 
Fortunately—and who will not say providentially?—the 
ship was captured by one of the British steamers on the 
lookout for slavers, and Adjai was placed under the care 
and instruction of some missionaries in the English 
colony at Sierra Leone. There he went to school and 
was first told of the love of Christ for all, even little 
black boys like himself. An English clergyman some¬ 
how heard of Adjai and offered to pay for his tuition 
at the best school in Freetown, Africa. The offer was 
accepted, and, when Adjai was baptized at sixteen years 
of age, he was given the name of his English benefactor, 
Samuel Crowther. 



82 


SAMUEL ADJA1 CROWTHER 


After a few years he was sent to England for a year’s 
schooling, and there evinced great skill and a quick 
grasp of languages. He also mastered the carpenter’s 
trade, and thus prepared himself for his later life. 

Returning to Africa, he married a native Christian 
girl, who was also a rescued slave. Going into the 
country surrounding the Niger River, he decided to make 
this the scene of his Christian labors. Accordingly he 
and his wife began a very successful boarding school 
for negro boys and girls. 

England, desirous of stopping slavery in the interior 
of Africa and of beginning a system of commerce with the 
natives, was anxious to explore the Niger River. Of the 
two missionaries chosen to be sent with the exploring 
expedition, one was Crowther, and his acquaintance with 
the languages and customs of the people, whom the 
expedition met, was a great aid. As they passed through 
different heathen countries, Crowther tried to tell the 
chiefs and people about the love of Jesus, while he aided, 
as far as he was able, the sick and dying whom he met. 
The English in the expedition soon saw that he was far 
above the average negro workers, and recommended his 
ordination to the ministry. A few years later this was 
done. 

One day, as he was preaching at Freetown, near the 
place where he had been captured by the slave stealers, 
he noticed an old woman who seemed depressed by a 
great sorrow. He spoke kindly to her, and she com¬ 
plained to him of her hard life as a slave and of the 
loss of all her children. “But the worst of all was losing 
my little boy, Adjai,” she wailed. The son’s life-long 
prayer was answered—he had found his mother. She 
became a Christian and was baptized Hannah, the 
mother of Samuel. 


LOUIS DAEHNE 


83 


After many years of faithful service, when West 
Africa was in need of a competent and consecrated 
bishop, the House of Bishops decided upon Samuel Adjai 
Crowther as the one best fitted for the responsible task. 
He was consecrated in Canterbury Cathedral, before an 
immense audience. Until his death in 1891, at the ripe 
age of eight-two years, he labored unceasingly and faith¬ 
fully for the salvation of his people. 

Though but a little African slave-boy, he accepted 
the opportunity offered him by English Christian sailors 
and was made by God into a great man for the Church, 
for the world, but especially for Africa. 


LOUIS DAEHNE 

Brave Missionary in South American Wilderness 

Among the most wonderful preservations from harm 
in times of danger rank those of Louis Daehne, the 
founder of the Moravian colony of Ephraim among the 
Arawak Indians in Dutch Guiana. For two years he 
lived entirely alone in the heart of a wilderness unin¬ 
habited by any creature but wild beasts and savage men; 
and his encounters with these were not without danger. 
Once fifty bloodthirsty Indians surrounded his hut with 
the determination to kill him. When he came out, how¬ 
ever, and told them about the great Father above, who 
had sent him to tell them how He loved them as his 
children and wanted them also to love him, they went 
away deeply impressed, promising to return and hear 
more of his message. 

Often he was awakened from his sleep by the roar 
of a jaguar prowling around his hut. While gathering 
wood for his fire, he was, on one occasion, stung by 



84 


LOUIS DAEHNE 


black ants until he dropped senseless, but, though the 
ants, fully an inch in length, had a sting as poisonous 
as a serpent's, no harm resulted to the missionary from 
their deadly work. 

His most wonderful escape, however, was from a 
venomous serpent, which lay hidden in his hut on a shelf 
near the roof. As he was entering the house to throw 
himself upon his hammock, the snake slid down and de¬ 
scended upon his head. In the scuffle, it bit him several 
times in the head and neck. Determined upon the death 
of the man, the serpent was pulled from his neck, only 
to gain a fresh hold. At length Daehne began to lose 
hope and, believing he had come to the end of his life, 
he seized a piece of chalk lying handy and wrote upon 
the table to let his brethren know the misfortune which 
had come to him, the words, “A serpent has killed me,” 
fearing that they might accuse the Indians of his murder. 

As he had finished the writing of these words, the 
words of the Savior to His disciples flashed through his 
mind, “They shall take up serpents, and it shall not harm 
them.” Then, suddenly gathering together all his reserve 
strength, he seized the abominable creature, wrenched it 
loose and flung it out of the hut. He then lay down, 
and when he had recovered from the shock he felt no 
injury. The serpent was doubtless one whose bite is not 
poisonous, and which coil around their prey and crush 
it. This brave and desperate struggle saved his life. 

Daehne's missionary station was among the raving 
and warlike negroes and Indians, in the unhealthy cli¬ 
mate and rank wilderness of Surinam, which was justly 
regarded as the most dangerous and difficult of all the 
Moravian Missions. Nevertheless Daehne and his co¬ 
workers laid the foundations of their work so solidly, that 


WILLIAM DAVIES 


85 


when the famous traveler, W. G. Palgrave visited Sur¬ 
inam in 1875, he had nothing but praise for the results 
of their work. The last census gives nineteen Mora¬ 
vian schools, while over twenty-four thousand names are 
inscribed in the register of the Brotherhood. 


WILLIAM DAVIES 

Missionary to West Africa 

A missionary and a negro were kneeling in the 
prayer-room of an African mission station, earnestly 
supplicating God to take the burden of sin from the 
poor, penitent native’s heart. Suddenly a cry of joy 
resounded from the distant corner and the missionary 
found himself enclasped in the arms of the ecstatic 
penitent, who was crying, 

“I found him, I found him 1” 

“What have you found?” inquired the more calm 
Mr. Davies, still firmly embraced by the native. 

“I found Christ. I feel his pardoning peace. His 
spirit says, ‘Go in peace; thy sins are forgiven thee.’” 

The man of God, Wm. Davies by name, felt com¬ 
forted and repaid for the many sufferings and hard¬ 
ships which he had endured. Answering the call 
for a missionary to follow George Warren, who 
had died of fever in Sierra Leone soon after his arrival, 
he and his wife had courageously offered themselves as 
his successors to this “grave yard of missions,” the 
western coast of the Dark Continent. The discontinued 
work among the natives, some of whom had already 
heard the Gospel in America as slaves and had treasured 
it in their hearts, was resumed with great success. Mrs. 
Davies gathered a school of one hundred and fifty girls. 



86 


WILLIAM DAVIES 


The wilderness was beginning to blossom again; but 
alas! death had not yet finished taking its toll of mis¬ 
sionary lives. Scarcely ten months had passed before 
both husband and wife were smitten with fever on the 
same day. After lingering a few days, the pure and heroic 
soul of the missionary’s wife ascended to Paradise, leav¬ 
ing her husband to continue his labors of sacrifice and 
love all alone. On the tombstone marking her grave her 
sorrowing friends inscribed the words, “Not lost, but 
gone before!” 

The loving Master sent further consolation to the 
afflicted missionary, when this lonely man saw that his 
message of love and mercy was not in vain. After 
preaching several times in an outlying village, he one 
day saw the head man of that village bring out a bag 
filled with greegrees, which were bits of leather, horn 
or paper supposedly charmed by some Arabic words 
written on them by the priests, so that they could keep 
those who brought them from harm. The man’s com¬ 
mand of, “Bring shavings, sticks and straw!” were 
promptly obeyed; but when he set fire to them and, 
emptying the contents of his bag upon the burning 
sticks, let the fire consume all the pretended amulets, the 
natives gazed on the striking scene with wonder and fear. 

“What me do now for greegree to keep me?” 
queried a melancholy voice. 

To this anxious question an old man replied sharply: 
“Hold your tongue, you! We tink greegree keep we 
from the big fire, and he no can keep himself from the 
burning before my eye. Me be fool no longer. Me seek 
white men God; me seek Massa Jesus to save me.” 

Such scenes as these with open confessions from the 
simple-hearted natives were meat and drink to their 


JOHN L. DYER 


8 7 


devoted missionary. He needed help to prosecute the 
work with greater vigor; and upon his call Mr. Samuel 
Brown and his faithful wife came to join him in the 
dangerous field in 1816. Their beginning was rendered 
auspicious by bright success; but seven months after 
their arrival the fever laid them low, and Mrs. Brown 
died. She was buried in the same grave with Mrs. 
Davies. 

Mr. Brown recovered and resumed his labors with 
great success, though Mr. Davies, now laid low by many 
attacks of fever, was forced to return to England. 

Through such self-denying souls as these the 
Church was ever able to answer calls for missionaries 
to go to that “graveyard of missions/’ Western Africa. 


JOHN L. DYER 

The Typical Frontier Missionary 

John L. Dyer, better known in home missionary 
history as Father Dyer, was a noble type of the hardy 
pioneer preacher. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, 
March 16, 1812. He united with the Methodist Church 
in 1830, and a few years later became a local preacher. 
From 1851-61, he labored as an itinerant preacher in 
Wisconsin and Minnesota. His ministry in this region 
was blessed of God with the ingathering of over 500 
souls into the kingdom of Christ, and this in a new ter¬ 
ritory where he was in many places the first to preach 
the Gospel and to establish a church. In these Gospel 
labors he used up all his personal property and was in 
debt. With God’s help, however, his honest determina¬ 
tion to pay all his debts was faithfully carried out. 

Then in 1861, Dyer traveled westward towards 



JOHN L. DYER 


Pike’s Peak in Colorado. His horse dying on the way, 
he walked nearly 600 miles, making Gospel addresses 
on the way and reached Buckskin Joe mining camp, 
Colorado, in July 1861. From 1861 to 1879, with the 
exception of one year’s work in New Mexico, he labored 
as a hardy pioneer gospel preacher in the mining camps 
of Colorado, where dancing, theatrical amusements, card¬ 
playing, gambling, drinking and debauchery were com¬ 
mon evils baffling his faithful endurance and untiring 
energy as a Gospel preacher. Among the mountaineers he 
was known as the Snowshoe itinerant. His support was 
meager and inadequate. A friend gave him a cabin, which 
he made his home and also used as a preaching place, 
To live and defray expenses he labored for a time in the 
double capacity of mail-carrier and evangelist. He 
walked on snow-shoes, drawing his sled thirty-seven 
miles each way over a mountainous Indian trail across 
the Mosquito range covered with snow, from three to 
twenty feet deep. He encountered terrific snow storms 
and several times narrowly escaped death. All his labors 
in this rough mountainous region were filled with hard 
toil and with excitement both spiritual and physical. He 
came in contact with nature in the rough, where ungodly 
men, wild beasts, desolate mountains, merciless blizzards 
and difficulties untold confronted him. Yet he bore all 
without complaint, through faith he escaped dangers, 
wrought righteousness and won hundreds of souls over 
to the Christian life. 

Despite all the bitter severity of his long fight of 
faith against great odds, God’s grace kept him in a 
cheerful mood to the end. His parting address at one 
of the Colorado conferences was a tender testimony of 
God’s goodness and of love for his brethren. Viewing 


• ALEXANDER DUFF 89 

him in the large, he was, as has been fittingly said, “a 
graduate of God’s school for heroes.” 

He spent the evening of his long and precious life 
in Denver, where in 1886 he was elected Chaplain of 
the Colorado State Senate, and where, in 1901, at Uni¬ 
versity Park, he died in great peace of soul and in the 
glorious hope of eternal reward. 


ALEXANDER DUFF 

Founder of Schools and Missions in India 

Almost a century ago, a bright, imaginative lad was 
lying among the blueberries on the bank of a stream flow¬ 
ing by his father’s cottage on a farm in Pertshire, Scot¬ 
land. Shortly before he had narrowly escaped death in 
this stream; and the deep impression thus made was 
augmented by his then reading Buchanan’s poem, “The 
Day of Judgment” and Milton’s “Paradise Lost” On 
this particular day mentioned he had a dream in which— 
may it have been an intimation of his future destiny?— 
he saw a glorious light, from which there issued a golden 
chariot studded with gems, and drawn by horses of fire. 
It reached his side, and he heard a voice saying to him, 
“Come up hither, I have work for thee to do.” In his 
effort to arise the sleeper awoke, but the remembrance 
of that dream never left him. 

That youth, Alexander Duff, was the son of a pious 
Scotch farmer, who early attempted to instill into his 
children a love for Christ and His religion. Showing 
them the pictures of heathen idols, he would often de¬ 
scribe to them the wretched condition of the idolators, 
and thus arouse their compassion for the heathen. These 
feelings intensified as Alexander left grammar school at 



90 


ALEXANDER DUFF 


Perth for the University of St. Andrews with twenty 
pounds in his pocket, which was all the patrimony that 
his worthy father could bestow upon him. Here he made 
his way by winning scholarships and exhibitions. He 
was here also greatly benefited spiritually by contact 
with the illustrious Chalmers, whose influence was like 
an overpowering spell upon him, and also by meeting 
Marshman and Morrison from the mission field. 

It was at this time that the almost lifeless Scottish 
Missionary Society was revived. India was determined 
upon as the field of its operations and here it was de¬ 
cided to begin an aggression upon heathen superstition 
by the teaching of religion, European science and Eng¬ 
lish literature. Duff firmly believed in the effectiveness 
and wisdom of this scheme and was asked to begin work 
in India; but, on account of his high estimate of the dig¬ 
nity of the position and of his feeling of personal un¬ 
worthiness, he shrunk back. After repeated urging from 
his superiors, however, he assented, but asked freedom 
from local control in India and perfect liberty to use his 
own judgment concerning the system of discipline and 
tuition to be employed in the seminary he was commis¬ 
sioned to found. 

In October, 1829, the youthful missionary embarked 
on an eventful voyage in the “Lady Holland. ,, At the 
“Cape” he was shipwrecked and lost all of his eight hun¬ 
dred volumes, except a Bible and Psalter, given him as 
a parting gift at his ordination, in the preservation of 
which this pious man read that God’s book should re¬ 
ceive the most earnest and absorbing study. The 
“Moira” picked him up at the Cape, but had scarcely en¬ 
tered the Hoogly when she was struck furiously by a 
monsoon and was driven as a shattered wreck upon the 


ALEXANDER DUFF 


9i 


shore, while the missionary and his wife were with dif¬ 
ficulty rescued from the heaving billows. 

Though Duff was warmly welcomed by such men as 
Corrie, Brown and Adams, he found in the whole mis¬ 
sion body, with the exception of Carey, decided opposers 
to his plan; and this is not surprising, for hitherto the 
natives educated in English science and literature had 
turned it to bad account. The missionaries saw the dan¬ 
gers, but did not, like Duff, perceive that these must be 
met and conquered, nor that new forces were at hand to 
accomplish this. However, this was his commission and 
he did not waver. 

The first task was the building of the proposed semi¬ 
nary. Duff saw that the location in the great Chitpore 
Road, in Calcutta, the very center of native life, was 
absolutely necessary to its success; so, though it was 
in disobedience to his orders from the society, he found¬ 
ed the seminary there, and the issue proved that he was 
right. On July 12, 1830, it was opened. Through the 
friendship of Rammohun Roy, the Indian Reformer, who 
believed in the worship of one supreme and eternal God, 
but did not recognize the divinity or atonement of Jesus 
Christ, several pupils were entered on the opening day. 
On that day, after Duff had slowly repeated the Lord's 
prayer in Bengali, he gave the pupils a copy of the Gos¬ 
pels and requested them to read; but they refused, for 
fear that they might become Christians. Rammohun 
Roy, however, whom they trusted and respected, proved 
to them, by example and argument that their fears were 
groundless, assuring them that becoming a Christian 
was a perfectly voluntary matter, and they were satis¬ 
fied. 

This first great difficulty being thus overcome, Duff 


92 


ALEXANDER DUFF 


threw himself with his characteristic enthusiasm into 
the work, training his assistants and doing his share in 
the drudgery of elementary training. Soon the institu¬ 
tion grew in popularity and applicants became so numer¬ 
ous that selections had to be made. From a common 
school the institution developed into a college, and was 
attended by natives of every caste and of every age from 
eight to twenty-one years. At the end of twelve months 
a public examination was held, under the presidency of 
Arch-deacon Corrie. Lord Wm. Bentinck and Sir Chas. 
Trevelyan, who were among the audience, expressed 
their surprise at the progress of the pupils; for their 
knowledge of English grammar and idiom and of Bible 
history and teachings was unusual. 

The great conflict between the Anglican and Oriental 
religion was ending in favor of the former; and when, 
on March 7, 1825, Lord William Bentinck, the Indian 
procounsul, issued a decree that the government should 
for the future promote European literature and science- 
to the utmost, the disintegration of Hinduism was be¬ 
gun; for the search-light of scientific knowledge, which 
agrees with and proves the truth of the Book of God, 
detected many fallacies in the Hindu theology. 

Meanwhile Duff closely connected secular and reli¬ 
gious instruction. He publicly delivered lectures on 
natural and revealed religion, which led to earnest and 
animated debates. Later he erected a wicker-work 
chapel, in which he preached in the vernacular and, on 
Sunday evenings, in English, besides conducting 
courses of lectures on the Bible and philosophy for en¬ 
quirers, Soon his own church was transformed into a 
goodly congregation, while even the British chaplain 
had a steadily increasing attendance at his services. 


ALEXANDER DUFF 


93 


Now Duff’s formerly robust health began to fail, be¬ 
cause of his incessant toil, and in 1834 he set sail for 
England. Here, however, he did not cease to labor for 
the cause of missions and, indeed, he did quite as much 
for it as he could have done in India. He developed a 
marvellous power of natural oratory, and stirred the 
spirit of his fellow Christians by appeals such as they 
had never before heard, in which he gave the church a 
new and enlarged view of its duties and responsibilities 
in regard to the heathen world. 

In 1839 his health was restored and he returned to 
India once more, after publishing his book, “India and 
Indian Missions.” Visiting Egypt and Sinai on the way, 
he brought with him the ardor of a boy and the endur¬ 
ance of a man with the culture of a genial student. The 
progress of India during his absence justly surprised him. 
The first object which caught his eye was the sign of a 
Hindu druggist. Then he came to a handsome church 
and elegant parsonage, with one of his own pupils, for¬ 
merly a Brahmin of the highest caste, as pastor. Rightly 
did he rejoice in the goodness of the Lord. 

In 1843 occurred the “Disruption” and, though he 
had thus far held himself aloof from the controversy 
which preceded this cataclysm, when the news came that 
the “Free Church of Scotland” had sprung into exist¬ 
ence, he conscientiously identified himself with the new 
order. This, of course, led to the surrender of the prem¬ 
ises and the entire reconstruction of his work, but the 
energy of our hero was equal to the emergency. When 
the new church, which was built at once at a cost of 
five thousand pounds, fell on the very night before it 
was to be opened for divine service, another, erected at 
a cost of twelve thousand pounds took its place. 


94 


ALEXANDER DUFF 


Conversions and baptisms continued and consequent¬ 
ly hostility began. The cry of “Hinduism is in danger” 
aroused staunch supporters of that religion and Duff’s 
house was besieged; he was cited into the courts; Jesuits 
were called to found a rival college taught on purely 
secular lines and Duff’s life was even threatened; but 
he lived down the opposition and, besides continuing his 
great work already begun, undertook various other work, 
Now, as editor of the “Calcutta Review,” he is spread¬ 
ing light by means of its pages; now he establishes the 
first hospital in Calcutta; now he aids in consolidating 
the Doveton Colleges of Calcutta and Mandras and now 
he brings relief to the famine stricken Scotch High¬ 
landers. 

In 1850 shattered health again compelled him to re¬ 
turn home, where he again worked in the interest of his 
calling, sending out new missionaries and moving Parlia¬ 
ment to the famous educational dispatch of 1854. At 
this period of his life he also visited America, where he 
everywhere received a perfect ovation, while his power¬ 
ful appeals melted men to tears or aroused them to wild 
excitement. 

Reaching India in 1857, he arrived just in time to 
prove a tower of strength to the Christian Church dur¬ 
ing the mutiny of 1857; and, though the church was bap¬ 
tized in blood, the fiery trial but proved how deep were 
the convictions of the converts. Though he mourned 
over martyr-pupils, Duff could thank God for their 
faithfulness even unto death. 

In 1863 the death of Dr. Tweedie, the convener of 
missions, called Duff home “to save the missions.” With 
a sad heart he delivered his deeply pathetic parting ad¬ 
dress to the Bethune Society and took his last farewell, 


HANS EGEDE 


95 


assuring his sorrowing Indian friends that his heart 
would ever remain in India. 

Spared for fifteen more years, he did not lead an idle 
life, but filled the chair of divinity in the new College of 
Edinburgh, besides filling, for the second time, the posi¬ 
tion of Moderator of the General Assembly. He inau¬ 
gurated new missions in India, in the East and in Africa 
and was ever a peacemaker wherever he went, until, on 
February 12, 1878, having “served his own generation 
according to the will of God, he fell on sleep,” rich in 
days, honor and achievements. 


HANS EGEDE 

Greenland’s Pioneer Missionary 

The pagan Eskimos, to whom Hans Egede, a Danish 
Lutheran pastor, went to bear the light of Christian 
truth, were not like their brethren of the nominally 
Christian Greenland of today. Their looks, as well as 
their habits, were revolting. They were in truth repul¬ 
sive dwarfs in body, with minds and hearts even more 
pitifully dwarfed, who had not even the most elemental 
ideas of sanitation. Mothers licked their children as 
cats do their kittens, and their wallowing in the stench 
and dirt accumulated by their uncleanly habits and ig¬ 
norant negligence brought to the enlightened observers 
mind a vivid picture of the hog. Mr., Egede’s efforts to 
instruct and uplift these people were met by dogged 
stubbornness and malicious resistance. They asked their 
angekoks, or medicine men, to destroy him, but when 
the latters’ wizard arts failed, he was designated as the 
chief of wizards, and avoided as such. Yet he would not 
give up, but held on and persevered in prayer. 



96 


HANS EGEDE 


After he had for thirteen years borne the burden of 
the evangelization of the Eskimos, during which time he 
had done much secret planning and praying, Egede finally 
published a pamphlet entitled, “A Proposition for Green¬ 
land’s Conversion and Enlightenment. ,, It immediately 
brought down upon him a storm of opposition from the 
bishops to whom it was sent for examination, and his 
wife wept and pleaded with him not to undertake the 
work in that cold, bleak and dreary country, until he 
was sorely tempted to give it up. He was strength¬ 
ened and saved, however, by Matthew 10:37, “He that 
loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of 
Me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me 
is not worthy of Me.” He soon won his brave wife to 
his plans and she thereafter stood heroically by his side 
until her death. 

On May 3, 1721 he set sail for Greenland, with only 
such scant means as he and a few friends could com¬ 
mand, together with a little salary of six hundred kroner^, 
about $160 annually, from the Danish government. With 
pathetic heroism he at once set himself about becoming 
an Eskimo to the Eskimos. He did not shrink from 
living in their foul and offensive huts. To learn their 
language, a fearful jargon of grating sounds and 
grunts, suggestive of crashing avalanches and groaning 
icebergs, he had his children especially mingle with the 
Greenlanders, that they might the more readily pick up 
the language and help him in its study. He also had 
native children come to his home and listened to their 
talking. 

On New Year’s day, 1725, he baptized his first con¬ 
vert, Frederick Christian, who became a faithful and 
trusted teacher in the mission, until his death six years 







upm 


t m 


m 






V-;. **“ 


• ^9ttL' 






y itffisjjfi. 



DR. WILFRED GRENFELL AND HIS DOGS 







. 

























HANS EGEDE 


97 


later, which was occasioned by small-pox contracted 
from a boy student just returned from Copenhagen. Un¬ 
happily, the disease became a plague in the parish, so 
that five hundred died within a few months, and before 
it had abated, between two and three thousand had fallen. 
During this time Egede lived, so to speak, in a graveyard, 
comforting the dying and ministering to the remaining 
sick, even carrying some of the more hopeful patients 
into their own house that he and his family might, if 
possible, nurse them back to health. Their devotion to 
this work was wonderful, and not the least lessened by 
the thanklessness of the pagan people, who blamed 
Egede and his religion for this calamity. 

When, after fifteen years of missionary toil, he was 
able to entrust the continuance of the work to his son 
Paul, Egede returned to Denmark with his son Nils and 
two daughters and, sad to say, the remains of his faith¬ 
ful and devoted wife. Still he kept up his work for 
Greenland, influencing the king to build a seminary for 
the education of missionaries, over which he was ap¬ 
pointed superintendent. In 1740 he became director at 
the Missionary College for all work in Greenland, but in 
1747 he returned to a quiet home, where he died eleven 
years later. 

As one biographer well states, “the faithful founder 
of the mission shall join one day with a great multitude 
saved in Greenland to sing, ‘Unto Him that loved us and 
washed us in His own blood and hath made us kings and 
priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and 
dominion for ever and ever/ ” 


JOHN ELIOT 

The Apostle to the American Indians 

John Eliot, the first Protestant missionary to the 
aborigines of North America, was a non-conformist min¬ 
ister driven like many others from England and settled 
as pastor at Roxbury, Massachusetts. Here his spirit 
was deeply moved with compassion for the red men and 
his desire to become a missionary to these savages was 
increased by the fact that while the Puritan colonists re¬ 
garded them with an unfriendly feeling he felt drawn 
toward them, because he believed them to be descend¬ 
ants of the lost ten tribes of Israel. 

Though he emigrated to America at middle age, he 
applied himself with strong and youthful energy to learn 
their language. Thus he spent two years in preparation 
before he began preaching among them. On October 
28, 1646, at a place afterwards called Nonantum, he paid 
his first visit to the Indians. Eliot and his friends were 
met and received by Waban, the leading man among the 
Indians. This man assembled the natives in his wig¬ 
wam, where Eliot conducted his first religious service in 
the Indian language. 

The service was of three hours duration. God’s Spirit 
accompanied the spoken Word of His Gospel messenger 
and moved the hearts of the savages, who listened with 
the utmost attention, some of them being moved to tears, 
and asking many questions at the close of the service, 
showing an intelligent appreciation of the sermon. En¬ 
couraged by their good deportment on this and other 
occasions, Eliot secured from the General Court of Mas¬ 
sachusetts a grant of land on which to colonize the In¬ 
dians and teach them habits of industry and the arts of 
civilization. The men he provided with tools for work 

98 


JOHN ELIOT 


99 


and the women were instructed in household work, 
learning to spin and to make various kinds of articles. 
Those who worked hardest and best were given money 
as a reward for industry. In 1651 he founded another 
Indian village at Natic on the Charles River. A foot¬ 
bridge was built across the river. The town was laid 
out in streets, two on one side, and one on the other side 
of the river. Lots were laid out and divided, fruit trees 
were planted and the land around the town was culti¬ 
vated in corn and other agricultural products. A circu¬ 
lar fort palisaded with trees and also an English styled 
house with one room for the missionary and another 
apartment for a schoolroom were built. The next year 
the settlement was visited by Governor Endicott, who 
expressed himself highly pleased with the progress made 
by the natives and requested Eliot to reproduce in Eng¬ 
lish the substance of a sermon preached by an Indian 
convert. 

The apparent success of this experiment of missionary 
enterprise led to the founding of the Society for the Prop¬ 
agation of the Gospel. This society assisted Eliot in the 
production of the Indian Bible, which was the first Bible 
ever printed on the American continent. Aside from 
his literary labors and care of his settlement, Eliot ex¬ 
tended his evangelistic and missionary work to the sav¬ 
ages in the surrounding country and all with good ef¬ 
fect inasmuch as it was evident beyond a doubt that the 
religion of the red men, to a great extent, at least, was 
genuine and beneficial as an uplifting power both indi¬ 
vidually and socially. But various outrages perpetrated 
by the Indians roused the colonies of Plymouth, Massa¬ 
chusetts, and Connecticut to an exterminating war by 
which even Eliot’s praying Indians, though innocent, 


100 


JAMES EVANS 


were made to suffer and the good results of his labors 
were greatly damaged and he himself was unjustly sub¬ 
jected to much contempt and reproach. 

However, after peace was restored, Eliot had the sat¬ 
isfaction of seeing some of his churches rebuilt and the 
congregations partly gathered together. Though Sa¬ 
tanic forces were against him, he labored not in vain and 
obtained his reward. Of him it was, that the immortal 
Baxter said: “There is no man on earth whose work I 
think more honorable.” “Since the death of the Apostle 
Paul,” said the eloquent American orator, Everett, “a no¬ 
bler, truer and warmer spirited man than John Eliot 
never lived.” He died in 1690, at the advanced age of 
eighty-six years. 


JAMES EVANS 

A Life for a Life 

James Evans, the missionary to the American Indi¬ 
ans, was taking a long journey into the far Northland, 
wTh two Indian converts, Thomas Hassel, his interpreter, 
and John Oig, as canoeman. They had been pushing on 
rapidly and merrily for some time, when, early one 
morning, after they were again pushing forward after 
breakfast and prayers, Thomas Hassel suddenly whis¬ 
pered, “I see ducks. Hand me the gun.” Oig picked up 
the gun, which was always kept in the back part of the 
canoe, pointing backwards for safety, and, turning it 
around, cocked it and handed it to Evans, who was seated 
in the middle. The missionary did not look back, but 
just reached back his hand for it, while he, too, looked 
forward intently, trying to make out the ducks through 
the mist. 



JAMES EVANS 


IOI 


Suddenly, strange to tell, just as Mr. Evans took the 
gun from the other’s hands, it went off, and, being un¬ 
happily pointed directly towards Hassel in front, the 
whole charge flew into his head, entering just at the base 
of his skull. Poor Hassel! He turned, cast one sad look 
on the missionary, and fell dead. It was awful. Both 
men were wild with grief. 

Weeping and mourning like children, they drew 
ashore and laid their dear friend on the sand. For a 
time they sat in silence. They were there all alone, 
with no Indians or white people within many, many 
miles. They tried to pray, but could only sob; but the 
kind Father above heard them and comforted them, 
bringing them back to themselves, so that they could 
think what to do. It would be impossible to take back 
the body to the distant mission, or to the far-away land 
of Hassel’s people, so they buried him on the river bank 
and they started back home with heavy, lonely hearts. 

What a sad home-coming that was! Upon the mis¬ 
sionary’s arrival the people came out to meet him, won¬ 
dering at his quick return and that only two were in the 
canoe. When they saw the sad faces of the occupants, 
they were still more surprised, and when at length the 
sad story of the accident was told, their hearts were 
filled with sorrow, indeed, with a double sorrow; with 
sorrow at the sad death of so well-beloved and useful 
a man as Hassel and a deeper, pitying sorrow for their 
missionary, whom they saw prostrated with grief at hav¬ 
ing been unfortunately the cause of the sad accident. 

The effect on Mr. Evans was terrible. The mission¬ 
ary was never again the same man. He appeared to have 
suddenly grown old. The sprightly vivacity, which had 
made him ever a joyous and companionable man, was 


102 


JAMES EVANS 


gone, and instead there remained a heart filled with sor¬ 
row and eyes often dimmed with tears. 

Some time later Evans decided to surrender himself 
to the Chippewayan tribe to which Hassel belonged, 
though they were all pagans, who had retained all their 
old superstitions and cruel customs, one of which was 
their belief in blood for blood and life for life. Life’s 
joys seemed to have let Mr. Evans and he seemed not to 
care whether he lived or died. 

Settling up all the affairs at home and turning over the 
mission to people whom he had trained, he bade his 
weeping family and sorrowing friends farewell and 
started out alone for the wigwams of the deceased man’s 
relatives. It was a long, lonesome journey. When he 
reached the village he at once sought out the wigwam of 
the dead man and sitting down on the ground, covered 
his face with his hands and burst out in a paroxysm of 
weeping. The inmates were astonished. The sight of 
a strong white man weeping was a novelty and mystery 
to them. The news of Hassel’s death had not yet 
reached them. 

When Mr. Evans was able to control himself, he 
told the savages of the death of their relative and of the 
part he had played in it. Intense excitement followed. 
Though they had not ben friendly toward Hassel, because 
he had “left the religion of his forefathers,’ he had sent 
them a large portion of his wages, which must now cease, 
and probably from the sense of pecuniary loss, as well as 
from pagan instincts, tomahawks were drawn and 
knives unsheathed, and there was a cry for the satisfac¬ 
tion of blood. Strong words were uttered, accompanied 
by menacing actions, to all of which, however, the 
broken-hearted missionary sat indifferent with bowed 
head and covered face. 


CAPTAIN ALLEN GARDINER 


102 


Noble womanhood, in the person of Hassel’s old 
mother, turned the tide. When the news was broken 
to her, she had been bowed with grief, but she had listened 
attentively to every word spoken by the missionary 
during his recital of events at the time of her son’s death. 
She had heard the threats of vengeance hurled at him 
by her kinsmen, but had also noted the unfeinged grief 
of the godly man and her heart moved in sympathy 
toward him. 

When it seemed that the avengers of blood would 
prevail and Mr. Evans’ life must be sacrificed, she sprang 
to his side, and placing both her hands on his head, 
spoke: 

“He shall not die. There was no evil in his heart. 
He loved my son. He shall live, and shall be my son, 
in the place of the one who is not now among the 
living.” Her strong pleading for his life won the day 
and the plan of adoption was carried out. 

For a time he lived with the tribe as a good son of 
that family and after he left them to prosecute his work 
at the mission, he sent them many an allowance from his 
scant worldly possessions, just as, and more than, the 
deceased son had done. 


CAPTAIN ALLEN GARDINER 

The Missionary Explorer 

The heroic sacrifice, which characterizes the life of 
this missionary hero, makes it one of unusual interest. 
Even in his youth his ruling passion, a love for action 
and adventure, was clearly shown. Born in 1794 as the 
son of a Berkshire squire, he early chose a sailor’s life 
as his occupation, and sought to inure himself to the 
hardships of his later life by sleeping upon the floor. At 



104 


CAPTAIN ALLEN GARDINER 


sixteen he entered the navy and, having won honor as 
a midshipman in the engagement between the Phoebe 
and the Essex, he was created lieutenant and sent home 
in charge of the prize. Four years later while he was 
at Penang in the Dauntless the influence of his departed 
mother was revived, by a Christian lady, who handed 
him a biography of his mother, written by his father. 
He now determined to lead a better life, bought a bible 
and under the influence of its teachings gave his heart 
to Christ. 

While he was at the coasts of South America under 
duty he became deeply interested in the welfare of the 
Aborgines. Coming home to England on sick leave, he 
pleaded their cause and offered his services to the Lon¬ 
don Missionary Society; but to accept his proposition 
then seemed impossible. Consequently he resumed his 
naval duties and became a married man. His wife, how¬ 
ever, was of delicate health and, her illness increasing, 
she was soon taken from him. While standing beside 
her bier he made a solemn vow to devote his life to the 
glorification of God’s Holy name. His tastes and train¬ 
ing pointed him to the work of a misisonary explorer and 
that was the task determined upon. 

His first field of exploration was South Africa. 
Though white settlers had already made homes there, 
no one had yet made an attempt to lead the natives to 
Christ. Capt. Gardiner founded the first missionary 
settlement in Zululand. Traveling in company with a 
Pole named Berken, he encountered perils and adventures 
such as meet only a pioneer. “Now with their own 
hands they are digging their horses out of the morasses 
into which they have sunk; now they are swimming the 
swollen rivers, at the peril of their lives, and lying down 


CAPTAIN ALLEN GARDINER 


105 


on the banks, wet and hungry, to be awakened from 
their uncomfortable repose by the snorting of hippotami, 
as the huge animals come tramping through the crushed 
and quivering reeds.” Finally Gardiner reached the 
capital of the ferocious chief Dingairn, who was the 
terror of all white settlers, as well as of his own people. 
The explorer, however gained a marvelous influence 
over him and even induced him to grant some land for a 
missionary settlement. 

Gardiner now remained at Port Natal, taking with 
him his possessions, which consisted of “his clothes, his 
saddle, a spoon and a New Testament.” Here on Sunday 
mornings he read to the resident Englishmen, about 
thirty in number, the Church of England service, and 
in the afternoon he collected the Kaffirs, and, with the 
aid of an interpreter, explained to them the simplest 
fundamental truths of the Bible. He opened a school for 
the native children, and dressed them with the first 
clothing they had ever known, taught them and, besides, 
aided the colonists with advice and succor in founding 
the first town, “Durban,” which sprang into existence 
on June 25, 1835. He also acted as an ambassador when, 
somewhat later, trouble arose between the colonists and 
chief Dingairn. The latter threatened the town with 
destruction, and Gardiner was sent, endowed with the 
powers of an ambassador, to placate the enraged mon¬ 
arch. He presented himself dressed in full uniform, 
and this, together with his known and approved char¬ 
acter made a deep impression on the royal savage, who 
appointed Gardiner governor of “all the country of the 
white people’s fold,” that is, of present Natal. Hereupon 
he returned to England, to consult the Government con¬ 
cerning political matters and the mission Society con- 


io6 CAPTAIN ALLEN GARDINER 

cerning religious matters. He learned that his office 
would have to be given to an officer of the British Crown; 
but he resumed his old position in the station. 

After a period of prosperity, misunderstandings, in 
which the missionaries were innocent, arose between the 
whites and the Zulus. A war broke out, desolated the 
mission settlement and, after over three years of toil, 
Gardiner sorrowfully turned his back upon the Dark 
Continent. 

Naturally his thoughts now turned to the savages of 
South America, whose wretched condition of body and 
soul had, in years past, stirred his compassion. Reach¬ 
ing Rio Janeiro in July, 1838, he began a series of jour¬ 
neys of inspection through the country. He went to 
Monte Video, and thence, via Buenos Ayres, to Men¬ 
doza. “In fourteen days he crossed nine hundred miles 
of Pampas, then scaled the heights of the Cordilleras, 
and after eleven days of incessant toil reached Santiago, 
on the Chilian side of the Andes.” From here he went 
to Concepcion, then to New Guinea and thence to Val¬ 
paraiso. During these journeys he met many native 
chiefs, but the interviews with them were only discourag¬ 
ing. Many of them having been fearfully abused by 
white men, especially Spaniards, looked upon all white 
men with suspicion. Besides this, exterminating wars, 
then raging, closed the door of the country to the intro¬ 
duction of the gospel of peace. Where these difficulties 
did not exist, the Roman Catholics had gained a foot¬ 
hold and the jealousy of the authorities, together with 
the opposition of the Romish priesthood prevented his 
doing any good in those sections. Thus baffled here, 
he determined to make an effort to introduce the Gospel 
at New Guinea, where, however the sullen Dutch, sus- 


CAPTAIN ALLEN GARDINER 


107 


picious of deeper political designs in an English officer 
doing missionary work, refused to place any confidence 
in him. 

Since the Patagonians about Gregory Bay had always 
evinced a friendly disposition to foreigners, he now de¬ 
cided to bear the message of love to these, with the hope, 
that these mgiht become the key to the Aborgiries of Pata¬ 
gonia and Terra del Fuego. Going to the Cape of Good 
Hope, he fetched his family with him to the Falklands, 
where he left them and then proceeded with his servant 
in a crazy schooner to the Fuegians, whom he found 
barbarians of the lowest type. Neither gifts nor kind¬ 
ness would move them and they would admit no white 
visitors. From here he turned his steps to a tribe of the 
Patagonians, living on the mainland. A Spanish Creole, 
who had been living with them for about twelve years, 
and had gained some influence over them, proved invalu¬ 
able to Gardiner as an interpreter. A chief, Wissale by 
name, welcomed him kindly and promised to receive 
him well, should he come back to begin a mission, so 
Gardiner returned hopefully to get his family and with 
them to settle among the Patagonians. 

His expectations, however, were doomed to be de¬ 
feated. The whalers refused to undertake the perilous 
voyage back for three hundred pounds, which was all 
he had. His appeal to the British Christians, in behalf 
of the Patagonian heathens was met with apathy and 
coldness; but his burning missionary zeal was not so 
easily chilled. He secured a grant of Bibles and Testa¬ 
ments, which he distributed as he traveled from port 
to port. One great result was a promise of one hundred 
pounds annually from English congregations in South 
America to aid in establishing a Patagonian mission. 


io 8 


CAPTAIN ALLEN GARDINER 


Thus encouraged, he returned to his native land to again 
make earnest appeals; and met with more success. A 
Missionary Society for Patagonia and Terra del Fuego 
was founded and in 1844, he with his family again 
endured the fatigue and danger of the perilous voyage 
to the land of the Patagonians. Wassale, an Indian chief, 
however, proved hostile and attempted Gardiner’s life; 
a Spanish party had arrived and pre-occupied the ground, 
and the disappointed Gardiner was again forced to return 
home. 

Though baffled once more, failure, as he said, could 
not daunt him, and he now determined to return to South 
America and, by further researches among the natives, 
to determine whether any possible opening could be 
found, which had previously escaped him. After much 
urging he induced his committee to fit out a small 
expedition, which landed in 1848, at Picton Island; but, 
on account of the thievish propensities of the natives, 
Gardiner found that a mission among them could only 
be conducted safely afloat, so he returned to collect 
funds for the purchase of a ship. He, however, found 
it impossible to stir the Christians at home to the re¬ 
quired generosity; for, of the 1000 pounds collected, he 
contributed 300 himself. On this account a smaller 
ship was purchased than his nautical experience sug¬ 
gested as necessary. 

On the 7th of September, 1850, the expedition sailed. 
The immortal seven of the party were earnest men of 
simple-hearted piety and exchanged not one jarring word. 
The ‘‘Ocean Queen” landed them with six months’ 
provisions and two launches at Terra del Fuego. Accord¬ 
ing to arrangement, a supply of provisions should have 
followed the party, but unfortunately the vessel was 


CAPTAIN ALLEN GARDINER 


109 


wrecked, which was bringing them, and the master of the 
second vessel disobeyed orders; so the little party was 
left unprovisioned. Meanwhile they had landed, but 
the hostile natives compelled them to withdraw a dis¬ 
tance to a bay, where they anxiously awaited their 
promised relief. At length the stores were exhausted. 
Having no firearms, no game could be shot to replenish 
the larder, and they were forced to subsist mainly on 
limpets, mussels and wild celery. Scurvy broke out, 
adding its horrors to that of hunger and one by one 
they died. 

Somewhat later the ships “John Davidson” and “Dido” 
were ordered to search for the party. Anchoring in 
Banner Cove, they found, painted upon the rocks, the 
inscription, “Gone to Spaniard Harbour.” Here they 
found an awful sight. Books, papers and medicines were 
strewn about, and the bodies of the unfortunate wretches 
lay unburied where they had crawled in their last agony. 
“Capt. Gardiner's body was lying beside the boat, which 
apparently he had left and, being too weak to climb 
into it again, had died beside it. On one of the rocks 
was painted, “Psalm lxii. 5-8,” which proves how strong 
and unshaken remained the faith of Gardiner and his 
companions unto the end. The sight aroused the deepest 
emotions, and the captains of the rescuing party wept 
like children. 

Gardiner bravely gave his life for the advancement 
of the mission cause, and his great gift was not unheeded. 
His death aroused English Christians out of the apathy 
which Gardiner had found it impossible to disturb, and 
turned their zealous attention to South America; but 
it is doubtful whether anything short of this sad catas¬ 
trophe could have done this. 


JOHN GEDDIE 

A Reformer of Cannibals 

In a church building in the village Anelgauhat, on 
Aneityum, the furthest south of the New Hebrides 
Islands, there is placed a tablet commemorating the life 
and labors of John Geddie. The epitaph thereon in¬ 
scribed, the most interesting and complimentary that 
can be written for a missionary, states, in the native 
tongue of the islanders: “When he landed in 1848, there 
were no Christians here, and when he left in 1872, there 
were no heathen.” Previous efforts made by native 
missionaries from neighboring islands had been ineffec¬ 
tive, so Geddie was not only the first foreign missionary, 
but also practically the pioneer missionary there. 

When Dr. and Mrs. Geddie first landed among the 
savages in 1848, they found them naked, treacherous 
and selfish. Lying and stealing they considered as 
virtues, and carefully taught the same to those of their 
children who escaped their hungry throats. The men 
went about with faces painted black and red, while the 
women constantly wore a strong cord about their necks, 
so that they could be conveniently strangled to death as 
soon as their husbands should die, for whenever a man 
died, one or more of his wives had to be strangled that 
his spirit might have company in the other world. Even 
the women themselves insisted on this cruel practice. 

The first three years of Geddies work were by no 
means pleasant. The natives would not hear his mes¬ 
sage, and often threatened to kill him. One of them, 
Kapio, confessed that he had followed him, and watched 
for an opportunity to brain him, but when the chance 
came, he had been unable to raise his club and deal 
the heavy blow. He declared that a strange sensation 

110 


JOHN GEDDIE 


hi 


had overpowered him, convincing him of a higher and 
supernatural power protecting the teacher. 

During the second year, however, some of the natives 
began to pray, and soon forty or fifty gathered at the 
Sunday services. At the end of the fourth year the 
missionary could not only preach, but also write and 
read in the language of the natives, and offered to teadi 
the savages the latter arts. Schools were established 
and eagerly attended. Soon half the island was to be 
seen at the Christian services, and the effect was not 
slow in asserting itself. Following the many conver¬ 
sions, cannibalism was gradually abandoned. Widow 
strangling came into disuse. Property which would 
formerly have been carried off wholesale, was now safe 
without lock and key or a guard. Beautiful stone 
churches arose in the ruins of cannibal’s ovens and rude, 
dirty hovels, and were filled with joyous worshippers 
and eager students. 

Meanwhile Dr. Geddie had translated and printed on 
the island the Gospel according to John, the Acts and 
epistles of Paul. Some time later Mr. Inglis, who joined 
him in 1852, arranged for the printing of the whole New 
Testament in England. 

Since then the natives, fired by the teaching and 
example of their missionaries, have carried the message 
to other islands, until their unflinching devotion and zeal 
have, by the aid of God, won one-third of the Hebrides 
group for Christ. Such examples of the power of the 
Gospel among cannibals are not exceptions, but the rule. 


JAMES GILMOUR 

“Apostle to the Mongols” 

The great missionary, James Gilmour, was descended 
from an ancestry fitting for a consecrated man of God. 
His honest grandparents gladly walked five miles to 
church in the evening, while the uprightness and religion 
of his parents was unquestioned. He was born on June 
12, 1843, at Catkin, and there and in Glasgow, whither 
the family removed two years later, he spent his youth. 
Belonging to a family of six boys, he naturally saw plenty 
of life. Poking and joking the men in his father’s lum¬ 
ber mill, devising plans for mechanically increasing his 
strokes in swimming, tramping over mountain and 
through glen to secure geological specimens and rowing, 
with a skiff in tow, over shallows to a point on the Clyde 
rarely reached—these were some of the feats and activities 
of his younger days. His indoor life, however, made a 
deeper impression upon him. Family prayers and Bible 
reading were never neglected; and on Sundays James’ 
mother, gathering the children about her knee, read 
them stories and told them of her hopes for their future. 
Doubtless the apostle to the Mongols found in his home 
training the most important foundation of his usefulness. 

On account of his father’s comfortable financial cir¬ 
cumstances, James enjoyed educational privileges then 
accorded to few boys. During his study in a subscription 
school, and, thereafter, at Gorbals Youths’ School in 
Glasgow, he convinced his father that he was deserving 
of a higher education, and consequently was sent to 
the Glasgow High School. Graduating from this with 
honors and praise, he entered the Glasgow University. 

Until after his entrance of the university, his spiritual 
life was one of darkness and of misery. At this time he 

112 


JAMES GILMOUR 


nj 

would have sacrificed anything for the hope of salvation, 
which he was then without. The light, however, came 
during his first year at university, and he became an 
active and hopeful Christian, zealous in the cause of his 
Master’s glory. He now determined to enter the 
ministry and, as to the place, since the Master had said, 
“Go ye into all the world,” he decided to give his life 
for the enlightenment of the ignorant heathen. 

Applying to the London Missionary Society, he was 
accepted in 1867, and was sent to Chestnut College, where 
he was much impressed by the religious books, which he 
read. Thence he was sent to the missionary seminary 
at Highgate in 1869, besides taking lessons in Chinese 
with Prof. Summers in London. Even at this busy time 
he could not refrain from laboring for the Lord, and, 
going out alone, he would hold open-air services near 
the railroad station, or invite passers-by to the religious 
services, in a way which stirred all who heard him, as 
well as called forth many sneers. As soon as he learned 
his field of labor he began to pray earnestly for China’s 
perishing millions and to solicit volunteers for his life’s 
work. 

On May 18, 1870, Gilmour passed by a cavernous 
portal through the towering walls into Peking. It was 
just before the bloody massacre of Tientsin and men 
were everywhere seized with despair. Gilmour, how- 
ever, took refuge in prayer, and found it of much avail. 

With only a smattering of Chinese, acquired at Lon¬ 
don and Peking, as a preparation, Gilmour plunged into 
the difficult work before him on the Mongol plateau. 
Despite the danger, due to the recent disturbances, he 
crept, with a strange caravan, over the Great Plain to 
Kalgan, on the border of the Mongolian Plateau. After 


JAMES GILMOUR 


114 

resting here for a brief while at the home of the Amer¬ 
ican missionaries, he again moved on up the pass to the 
grass-covered plateau above. 

He found the tents of the wandering herdsmen 
scattered in groups over the plateau. The people were 
leading a life of sin and degradation. The greatest sin¬ 
ners were the Lamas, or Mongolian priests, lazy men, 
celibates in name, but libertines in reality. Since the 
blackmen, or laity, looked upon the Lamas as holy, they 
naturally thought that the life of the priests was a proper 
example for them, and so the corruption spread. Still, 
in their way the people were intensely religious. They, 
indeed, prayed “without ceasing,” if that is indeed 
literally possible. Each sacred shrine along the road 
evoked a prayer and sacred attitude, while the temples 
were constantly visited. Such were the deep-rooted 
religious convictions which Gilmour attempted to 
overcome. 

To accomplish his design, Gilmor attempted to be¬ 
come one of them, in language, thought, action and 
every manner of living. He first secured the services of 
Mr. Grant, a trader at Kitacha, as a teacher of the lan¬ 
guage, but as his teacher became too insolent, he fled 
to the spacious tent of one of the natives and, seating 
himself there in one corner, with pencil and notebook in 
hand, he jotted down such phrases and words as he 
could catch for future reference. This way of learning 
the language as a child does, he found the easiest and 
most satisfactory, and soon had mastered such expres¬ 
sions as were in most common use. 

Being now in a position to work effectively, he did 
not shirk, but went about visiting as he saw the Mon¬ 
gols do, and preached the name of God, Approaching a 


JAMES GILMOUR 


US 

tent-hamlet, he would shout “hanoi” (dog), which would 
bring out the old women and children, whose business 
it was to hold in check the fierce dogs upon the ap¬ 
proach of a visitor. After partaking of some snuff and 
“breaking the ice” by friendly sips of tea, he began ex¬ 
hibiting to the company a set of Scripture pictures, while 
he described them in an entertaining manner. After 
this followed tracts, catechisms and a Gospel of St. Mat¬ 
thew, with a brief description of each. The interview 
probably ended in questions and debate with some Lama, 
into which Gilmour entered with zest, much as he de¬ 
plored the opposition. 

Though Gilmour feared that a Mongol, after turning 
to Christianity, would “lead a very precarious existence 
on the plain, if in fact he could exist at all,” still, for 
him there was reserved the joy of winning one con¬ 
vert, a young man named Boyinto. Overjoyed by his 
confession of Jesus, the missionary painfully limped, with 
sore feet, twenty-three miles to have a private conver¬ 
sation and prayer with the young hero, though he was 
denied the joy of baptizing him, that rite being per¬ 
formed by another missionary of the American Board, 
who also admitted the convert into the Kalgan Church. 

Gilmour’s life was not entirely without romance. 
“Refused, when he had proposed to a Scotch lassie, he 
fell a victim to a young London woman, whom he had 
never seen, and whom he knew only through mutual 
friends and correspondence.” He proposed to her in 
January, 1875, and her answer was an acceptance. Five 
days after Miss Prankard’s arrival at Tientsin, they 
were married, and returned to Gilmour’s home after a 
nine days’ wedding tour. 

During his missionary labors, Gilmour spent some 


n6 


JAMES GILMOUR 


time in China, substituting for missionaries absent on 
furlough, or aiding the Tientsin members of his mission. 
On one occasion he and a companion baptized a large 
number of Chinese at Shantung. The event troubled his 
tender conscience, since he questioned the advisability of 
administering the rite to those of so little instruction 
and oversight. The work, however, most distinctly his 
was done among the Mongols in Peking. Part of the 
time he resided in the Yellow Temple, outside the city, 
and there he was constantly meeting those, with whom 
he could converse about Christianity. At other times 
he followed the example of the peddlers, hanging two 
bags of books from his shoulder and hunting the Mon¬ 
gols out among the trading places and among the lodg¬ 
ing places along the lanes. Oftentimes people wishing 
to buy books did not have the necessary money, and 
then he would allow them to pay goods, such as cheese, 
butter, sour curd, etc,, in exchange. 

Gilmour made two visits to his home country. The 
first was due to his wife’s failing health, which began to 
break during the first summer in Mongolia, and the sec¬ 
ond was caused by his own ill-health. On his first visit, 
besides holding his audiences at home spell-bound by 
his vivid word-pictures of his life and work abroad, he 
awakened interest and enthusiasm by the publication of 
the missionary “Robinson Crusoe,” entitled “Among the 
Mongols.” On both his visits home his spiritual health 
was recuperated by contact with earnest Christians. 

His wife’s death and the failure of the society to send 
out a colleague to assist him in his work caused him to 
change his position to that of a lay physician; for every¬ 
where he saw sickness and suffering, which the wretched 
Lama doctors utilized as a pathway to the sufferer’s 


JAMES G1LM0UR 


ii 7 


pocket, giving in return their prayer for the patient. Ac¬ 
cordingly, “early in the morning, Gilmour would sally 
out to the market place with his little cloth tent and 
after pitching it would stand there all day nearly, preach¬ 
ing and healing diseases with his well-tried specifics,” 
the use of which he had learned partly in the London 
Hospital in Peking. All kinds of diseases were treated 
by him, from eye difficulties to sickness occasioned by 
strong drink, and he gained the complete confidence of 
the Mongols, so that absurd requests were made. Every¬ 
one wanted to be made white, like the foreigner; some 
wanted medicine to make their beards grow, others 
wanted to be made clever, etc. His remarkable prac¬ 
tice may be seen in his report, that in the nine months 
of 1887 he attended between 12,000 to 13,000 cases. 

The remaining years of Gilmour’s life were spent in 
active service. In 1891 he journeyed to Tientsin, where 
he attended the mission conference, and acted as chair¬ 
man. He took especial delight in the songs sung, and 
was brought very near to God in these services. The 
unusual burdens he was bearing in his work, however, 
added to his heart weakness, and this finally culminated 
in an eleven days’ attack of typhus fever. On May 21, 
1891, the struggle ceased and James Gilmour passed 
through the gates into the eternal city. His loss was 
felt by many; but his life’s influence did not close with 
his death, for it had been a living example of devotion to 
the glorification of the Lord and others were through 
him led to the glorious task of soul-saving. His work is 
still living on. 


GENERAL CHARLES GEORGE GORDON 

“The Noblest Hero of Them All” 

Perhaps in no case has it ever happened as in this that 
the whole world loves the same hero. This, however, 
was true of General Gordon, for even the ragged street 
urchins of Gravesend wrote and oft repeated the bless¬ 
ing, “God Bless the Kernel,” and they had reason. Dur¬ 
ing his six years’ stay in England, where the richest and 
most respectable families would gladly have lionized 
him, he refused to be made a hero of, but, “working in 
slums, hospitals and work-houses, or knee-deep upon the 
Thames defense,” he spent what he declared to be the 
happiest years of his life. Into the infirmary and the 
homes of bed-ridden men and women he would bring 
cheer and new interest in life. His house at Gravesend 
was always crowded with boys of the “ragged school.” 
In fact, “it was school, hospital and almshouse in turn— 
more like the abode of a missionary than of a Colonel of 
Engineers.” Many a boy whom he found “down and 
out” on the streets, he took in, clothed and fed, planted 
his feet on the right path and then, giving him a new 
outfit, started him out again in life. These boys were of 
constant interest to him. Over his mantlepiece he kept 
a map, stuck full of pins, each of which showed the ex¬ 
act location of one of the boys whom he had aided and 
who was now at sea. For each of these he prayed day 
by day. No wonder that they said, “God bless the 
Colonel.” 

Our hero was born in Woolwich, England, on Janu¬ 
ary 28, 1833. His father, General Gordon, held an im¬ 
portant post at Woolwich, where Charlie was allowed 
to roam through the great arsenal at will, a general 
favorite among the workmen, who loved him despite the 
118 


GENERAL CHARLES GEORGE GORDON 119 

many tricks he played on them. At school, however, he 
was not considered very clever, though he did his work 
well and whatever he did was done with all his might. 

Entering the army as a “sapper” in the Engineers, 
he worked his way up until he became lieutenant at the 
time of the Crimean war. From this war nothing could 
hold Gordon. Though he had been ordered to Corfu, he 
managed to have the order changed and off to Russia he 
went to cheerfully face death and hardship and to dis¬ 
tinguish himself by his singular humanity and bravery. 

One day he heard a corporal remonstrating with a 
sappy, whom he was ordering to stand on a parapet, ex¬ 
posed to the enemy’s guns and receive baskets of fresh 
earth which he would hand up in safety from below. In 
an instant Gordon was on the parapet where the Rus¬ 
sian bullets whizzed by his ears and ordered the cor¬ 
poral to his side, while the sapper remained below. Then 
turning to the corporal, he said: “Never order a man to 
do anything that you would be afraid to do yourself.” 
This fearless nature of Gordon explains why his general, 
in speaking of the war afterwards, said “he used to send 
out Gordon to see what new move the Russians were 
making.” 

Yet Gordon evinced the tenderness towards his fel- 
lowmen which a mother shows towards her child. One 
evening, after the terrible explosion which had left Se¬ 
bastopol in flames, revealed three thousand wounded 
soldiers destitute of proper care, he showed the true 
mercy and tenderness of a hero in working among them, 
disregarding their nationality whether Russian or 
British. 

During the rebellion of the cruel Talipings, who 
threatened to overthrow the whole Chinese government, 


120 


GENERAL CHARLES GEORGE GORDON 

an appeal of the Chinese government to England for 
aid brought, among other English officers, General Gor¬ 
don. Here he was the same kind and sympathetic man, 
but he also showed such skill in his first encounter with 
the Taipings that the Chinese government offered him 
the comand of the Chinese army. Such an army as it 
was! Gordon, however, transformed that “collection of 
rag, tag and bobtail” to a trained, paid and uniformed 
army, which commanded the respect and even fear of the 
Taipings. He was always in the thickest of the fight, 
yet himself carried no weapon but a little cane, which 
came to be regarded as a magic wand by the Chinese. 
At last the leaders of the Taipings offered to surrender 
if Gordon would agree to spare their leaders, treat all 
the rebels mercifully and not sack their cities. To this 
Gordon gladly assented, as did his men, General Ching 
and Li Hung Chang. The latter, however, broke his 
word and later murdered the Taiping leaders. When 
Gordon heard this, he wept like a child and became so 
enraged at Li Hung Chang that he determined to kill 
him, but later pardoned him. 

Though offered numerous medals and enormous sums 
of money by the Chinese government, he left China with 
but a few medals and no more money that he had when 
he entered it, for he had spent all his money in paying 
the army and in relieving the needy. 

Next Gordon was sent to Soudan in answer to an 
appeal for aid made to England by the Khedive, who 
became afraid of the rich and powerful slave dealers in 
Africa. Eighty-four per cent of the people in his land 
were slaves. Upon his arrival the Khedive offered Gor¬ 
don a salary of $10,000 annually to be governor of the 
tribes on the upper Nile, but he accepted only $2,000, 


GENERAL CHARLES GEORGE GORDON 


121 


wishing to show that he did not worship money, but 
God. Under him the slave trade quickly received a hard 
blow. The blacks soon learned to love the man who 
punished and slew their enemies, gave them liberty and 
brought back their wives, children and possessions. 
Some even begged for the permission to be his slaves. 

When at last Gordon was made governor of the whole 
of Soudan, he began as never before to hunt down and 
drive out the cruel slavers. On his camel, named Tele¬ 
graph, he would seem to fly, like a magician, over the 
desert strewn with the skeletons of the slavers* victims. 
Once, when urgently summoned to his far-off weak gar¬ 
rison, which was beset by six thousand men of the slave- 
dealers’ army, he traveled eighty-five miles in a day and 
a half, all alone and unarmed, arriving suddenly and un¬ 
expectedly to the assistance of his little band. On the 
next day his fearlessly calm and contemptuous demand 
to lay down their arms was weakly submitted to by the 
enemy. To this day in the Soudan there is no name so 
affectionately spoken of as that of their ideal man, Gor¬ 
don. 

Gordon left Africa broken down in health, but had 
little time to rest before China was again in trouble and 
felt that no one could help them but “Chinese Gordon.” 
Despite his worn-out condition, he nobly responded and, 
after performing this and other missions to which he was 
called, he was permitted to gain much needed physical 
and also spiritual rest through a visit to the Holy Land. 

Soon, however, Africa again needed him. A wild der¬ 
vish, proclaiming himself to be the Mahdi, or the Mo¬ 
hammedan restorer of all things, revolted against Egypt 
and found ready support in thousands of the wild tribes 
of the Soudan. Efforts to take the rebel prisoner were 


122 


DOCTOR WILFRED T. GRENFELL 


ineffectual. Gordon saw that if the Mahdi gained Sou¬ 
dan, all his previous work in that district would have 
been in vain. This he wrote to the English government 
and, in answer to their question whether he would go, 
answered, “I would give my life for these poor people in 
the Soudan,” and that is just what he did. 

While there, the only white man among the wild na¬ 
tives, the English sent him word that an expidition was 
coming to his relief, but day after day he looked for it 
in vain. A whole year he thus spent, cheering his small 
faithful band of natives, starving himself that they might 
not go hungry and at night walking back and forth, 
praying for the relief army promised. Finally it came, 
but only after the brave General Gordon had been slaugh¬ 
tered on the steps of the Governer’s palace of Khartoum. 
His last words written to his sister were: “God rules 
all, and, as He will rule to His glory and our welfare, His 
will be done. I am quite happy, thank God, and I have 
tried to do my duty.” Indeed “this was the noblest hero 
of them all.” 


DOCTOR WILFRED T. GRENFELL 

The Hero of Labrador 

In a simply, almost poorly furnished house in Lab¬ 
rador is seated a young doctor and opposite him his 
wife and little child, when presently a knock is heard at 
the door and an Eskimo enters. He reports the sad 
news tha.t his son has been seriously injured by a shot 
through his leg. “Please come and help him,” he pleads. 

“How great is the distance?” 

“Fifty miles beyond the bay. ,; 

“Is the ice safe yet?” 



DOCTOR WILFRED T. GRENFELL 


123 


“Not perfectly. It is already beginning to move.” 

The young Doctor Grenfell knows from this that the 
danger is great. If he goes, it may be never to return. 
For a short time he stands irresolute; but his brave 
young wife, noticing his indecision, whispers to him, 
“Wilfred, he that loveth father or mother or brother or 
sister or wife or child more than Me is not worthy of 
Me.” He is decided; and with the prayer,“Lord, pro¬ 
tect my loved ones,” he enters upon the perilous journey 
over glistening snow and ice to bear comfort and health 
to the suffering Eskimo. Such is the life of Grenfell in 
Labrador. 

He had spent his youth at Parkgate, near Chester, 
England, where, being mostly out of doors, he had devel¬ 
oped from a sickly boy into a robust man. After a course 
of study in Parkgate, he entered Malborough College, 
where he excelled in athletics as well as in his studies, 
being a great friend of football, tennis and other “col¬ 
lege sports.” In May, 1907, he received the title of 
Doctor of Medicine from Oxford University and was 
ready to begin practice. 

At this time he made the acquaintance of the Evan¬ 
gelist Moody, through whose influence he was led to the 
throne of Grace. He had previously entertained the idea 
that all who accepted Christianity were cowards; that 
the vigorous and jolly fellows of his own disposition 
would stand aloof. When, however, he saw on the stage 
with Mr. Moody men who had been renowned in foot¬ 
ball circles, his prejudice was overcome. He conse¬ 
crated his life to God and determined to enter His work. 

His first attempt in the line of missionary work he 
made as a Sunday school teacher. He was anxious to 
keep up his boys’ interest, but soon his stories about 


124 


DOCTOR WILFRED T. GRENFELL 


Samson and David and Goliath began to lose effect and 
the interest began to lag. As a desperate attempt Gren¬ 
fell introduced lessons in boxing. It worked like a 
charm, but he was soon excused as a teacher. Yet he did 
not give up Christian work, but organized the “Lad’s 
Brigade,” which has done so much good in England. 

During his university life he had made the acquaint¬ 
ance of Sir Frederick Treves, who now became an inti¬ 
mate friend. Seeing that his friend was a man of an ad¬ 
venturous turn of mind, who delighted in a life of danger 
and hardship, Sir Frederick advised him to join the 
“Counsel of the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea 
Fishermen,” of which he himself was a member. 

The advice was accepted. Though a more dangerous 
station than that among the degraded fishers of the North 
Sea could hardly have been found, Grenfell plunged into 
the work with a will and so energetically did he remain 
at it that, with God’s help, he had, in a few years raised 
the men from the low condition, to which the passion for 
drink and gambling had sunk them, to a higher and bet¬ 
ter life. His work was now getting lighter and he be¬ 
gan to look for another field which would again require 
all his strength. 

Labrador, the land of almost perpetual snow, with a 
winter of eight months and a sickly summer of four 
months’ duration, where the only visitors are the chilly 
icebergs and where no communication through the mails 
can be had with civilization during the long winter 
months—this land possessed a peculiar charm for Gren¬ 
fell. Here were poor men needy of spiritual and material 
assistance. 

He went. Though the Methodists, Baptists and Con- 
gregationalists had already opened stations in that land. 


DOCTOR WILFRED T. GRENFELL 


125 


yet along the coast, where the work was most difficult 
on account of the scattered settlements, work was abun¬ 
dant, especially for a doctor. Here he was in his ele¬ 
ment. With all his energy he entered into the work and 
what he accomplished seems almost superhuman. With 
his Bible and his doctor’s grip he traveled from one vil¬ 
lage to another, regardless of distance or danger. 

On Easter day, 1908, Dr. Grenfell received an urgent 
call to attend a young man sixty miles to the south, on 
whom he had operated, but in whose wounds poison had 
gathered. Soon he had his sled packed and his dogs, 
whose cunning and sagacity had often assisted him out of 
a difficult situation, were hitched to the sled. Since the 
men, who had come to call the doctor, could not keep up 
with him, he waited for them in the evening in a little 
village and on the following day he gave them a two 
hours’ start ahead of him, after arranging to meet again 
in a little hut beyond a bay, which lay before them. 

This bay Dr. Grenfell now proceeded to cross. The 
crossing seemed no more difficult that usual. He per¬ 
ceived that he was riding over broken cakes of ice, but, 
while these were held closely together by a strong north 
wind, there was no danger. Everything went well until 
he was within a mile from the shore, when the wind sud¬ 
denly veered and blew from the shore. At once the cakes 
of ice separated and presently Grenfell and his dogs were 
left upon a cake too small to support all for any length 
of time. The sled and its contents were sacrificed, as 
were some of his heavier articles of clothing. At some 
distance he saw a larger cake; but how to reach it was 
a problem. Fortunately Grenfell had in his team a little 
black spaniel, “Jack” who became their rescuer. He 
became the leader and swam to the large cake pointed 


126 


DOCTOR WILFRED T. GRENFELL 


out to him, followed by the other dogs, and then, hold¬ 
ing to the lines fastened to the dogs, Grenfell also drew 
himself to the cake. This move, however, seemed only 
to postpone their hour of death, for the little raft of ice 
was driven constantly further out to sea, while Grenfell 
slowly froze in his scant and water-soaked clothing. Fi¬ 
nally, with bleeding heart, he was forced to kill three of 
his faithful dogs and make out of their bloody skins 
some protection against the biting wind, while out of 
their bones he made a short flagstaff, on which he hoisted 
his shirt as a signal of distress. 

After Grenfell had given up all hope of rescue, relief 
appeared. Some men, who had gone out to get some 
seals, which they had killed, had noticed and watched 
the doctor through a spy-glass and now came in their 
boat to rescue him and his dogs. Imagine their joy to 
find him safe! Every one in the village was eager to be 
the first to grasp their beloved doctor’s hand. The sick 
man, to whose assistance he had come, was brought to 
him and treated successfully. 

How much good Dr. Grenfell is doing will first be 
seen at the dawn of eternity, though as visible results of 
his labors we already see a number of co-operative stores, 
four hospitals, saw mills, and dry docks for ships, all es¬ 
tablished for the good of the people. The sick and the 
widows and orphans are regularly visited and supported. 
In St. Johns, Newfoundland, is an institution which of¬ 
fers instruction in various professions. All this has been 
accomplished, with God’s help, through the faith and 
courage of a man who knew no fear, whom no disap¬ 
pointment could discourage, Dr. Wilfred Grenfell, the 
hero of Labrador. 


SAMUEL HOPKINS HADLEY 

The Hero of Water Street Rescue Mission 

At midnight a drunkard in tatters sat on a beer cask, 
helpless, alone and sick. He thought that he was dying. 
Delirium tremens, with all its furies and horrors tor¬ 
tured him unspeakably and, jumping up in terror, he 
pounded on the bar until the glasses jingled, crying, “I 
am dying, but I will die in the street before I will ever 
take another drink.” To keep this promise he stum¬ 
bled through the dark streets to the police station, a 
place which he had formerly dreaded and hated with all 
the aversion of a frequent occupant, and asked the cap¬ 
tain to lock him up. The surprised officer put him in a 
narrow cell, where he stayed until morning. 

Of that evening he says, “It seemed like all the de¬ 
mons that visited me that night could not find room in 
that little cell. I, however, did not stand alone against 
them. Jesus was there with me and said: ‘Pray/ I 
fell on my knees and said, ‘God be merciful to me, a sin¬ 
ner/ ” 

This pitiful wretch was Samuel Hadley. He had been 
born in Ohio in 1842, he was the youngest of six children 
and had enjoyed the privilege of Christian parentage. 
Both his mother and father had died young, however, 
and, though he had promised his mother before her death 
that he would drink no spirituous liquors, he was early 
led to his downfall. 

One day when he met a drunken business man, a 
friend of the family, the drunkard, after about a half 
hour’s urging, induced him to take his first drink. That 
drink changed his whole life. Within ten minutes 
thoughts surged through his mind such as he had never 
before experienced. He now sank constantly lower. He 


127 


SAMUEL HOPKINS HADLEY 


1 2 o 

began to study medicine under another doctor, who was 
as bad a drunkard as himself, and at the end of the sec¬ 
ond year he had to flee before the law. 

A helpless drunkard, he now went to his brother, Col. 
H. H. Hadley, who also drank, but was a prominent man 
in the insurance business. The colonel secured for his 
brother a position with a salary of $300 per month, but 
this only aggravated the evil. On account of his intem¬ 
perance and vicious life he soon lost this position and in 
a short time he was walking the streets as a beggar. He 
had become a notorious liar, blasphemer, deceiver and 
forger, being guilty of numerous forgeries against his 
own brother. Now he was poor, sickly and wretched, on 
the verge of delirium tremens. Suicide daily occupied 
his thoughts, and he was repeatedly tempted to jump 
from the fourth story of an abominable lodging house, 
where he was staying, but some mysterious power held 
him back. His faithful wife, a noble southern lady, was 
finally forced to leave him and to return to her parents. 

The end seemed near, and in this extremity he sought 
companionship in the saloon, with the resulting experi¬ 
ence already related. 

As soon as he was released from his self-imposed im¬ 
prisonment he determined to visit the McAuley mission 
near Crenorne Garden. Here McAuley kindly placed his 
hand upon the head of the poor drunkard kneeling at the 
altar and spoke, “Brother, pray.” “I cannot,” replied 
poor Hadley. “But you must pray yourself, otherwise 
all the prayers in the world will not help you.” He did 
pray, and found peace for his soul. From that moment 
no liquor, tobacco or blasphemous word was allowed 
to cross his lips. 

He now felt within him a passion to save other souls, 


SAMUEL HOPKINS HADLEY 


129 


especially his unbelieving brother’s; but in regard to the 
latter he experienced a certain shyness. Satan seemed to 
advise, “Better not be hasty. He will criticise and ridi¬ 
cule you.” Though trembling with anxiety, he went and, 
facing his brother, declared, “Harry, I have found Jesus 
and He has saved me; but I feel awfully weak, and I 
hope you won’t criticize me too closely.” Harry turned 
around, apparently to examine a picture, but when he 
turned again, Samuel saw tears in his eyes. 

Hadley now made a conscientious effort to discon¬ 
tinue all of his numerous vices. He had been in the habit 
of telling a lie in regard to a stiff leg, saying that he had 
been shot in that leg in the war. This claiming to be an 
old soldier had won him many a favor; but he resolved 
to stop it. Soon after his conversion a man asked him 
the old question, “How did you get lame?” “In the 
war,” came the involuntary answer. The lie stung him. 
He hurried out after the man and, following him to his 
office with a pricking conscience, confessed the lie. 

He now assumed charge of the Water Street Rescue 
Mission, which Jerry McAuley had discontinued, and 
labored there with remarkable success. Hadley sur¬ 
passed his predecessor in riper experience and knowl¬ 
edge and, inspired with love for the fallen souls, he gained 
unhindered admission to all circles of society. Una¬ 
bashed, he spoke in saloons, theatres, dancing halls, and 
houses of ill fame, as well as in churches, schools, col¬ 
leges and universities, telling how the Lord had saved 
him and hundreds of other deeply sunken men. Four 
years after his own conversion he had the joy of leading 
his brother to the Savior, and Col. H. H. Hadley likewise 
became an enthusiastic winner of souls. 

We close this sketch with a word of personal tribute 


130 


CYRUS HAMLIN 


from the Rev. J. Wilbur Chapman, D. D. “For twenty- 
three years, nine months and ten blessed days he lived 
the life of a Christian and then came his translation into 
the presence of his Saviour. 

“He was great in every way. He inherited a great 
ancestry. The blood of Jonathan Edwards throbbed in 
his veins, and this may in part account for his passion for 
souls and his desire to see the world moved for God. His 
own father was a man of great strength of character and 
his mother was a gentle soul of whom S. H. Hadley de¬ 
lighted often to speak. He had a way of saying Jesus 
as few men could say it, but he also had a way of say¬ 
ing mother that always stirred my heart. I have trav¬ 
eled with him on the train, and had him as my guest in 
my home and listened to the stories of his mother's de¬ 
votion and have been thrilled through and through. 

“His going into heaven must have caused a great 
commotion. ... I imagine that the redeemed drunkards 
in heaven must have had a great meeting as they shouted 
one to another, 'Here comes S. H. Hadley, he has not 
lost his way.' I have tried to imagine his meeting with 
Jerry McCauley, Colonel Atkinson, Phil. McGuire and 
his own loved brother, but my imagination fails. Fare¬ 
well, dear friend, farewell. We shall meet one morn¬ 
ing in glory.” 


CYRUS HAMLIN 

Founder of Robert College 

Dr. Hamlin stands in the foremost rank of modern 
missionaries and has combined in a remarkable degree 
rare quajities as a scholar, teacher, inventor, adminis¬ 
trator, diplomat and statesman. 

This man, who was later to stand before kings, was 
born among the forests of Maine on January 5, 1811. At 



CYRUS HAMLIN 


131 

six years of age Cyrus’ school life began in the old red 
schoolhouse. Discipline in those days was very strict. 
Seeing a forked flame shoot out from the hearth, he for¬ 
got where he was and laughed out aloud. The entire 
school joined him and the master, seizing his hand, gave 
him “a terrible ferruling.” Yet he honored all his teach¬ 
ers and remembered them with great affection. 

On the farm the boys were early used to toil and were 
ambitious to do men’s work while mere boys. Cyrus’ 
career as a mechanic was begun by his making, while 
but a boy, a yellow birch ox-yoke, which was admired by 
all the neighbors. Thereafter almost everything needed 
on the farm was made by his hands. 

His interest in missions early came to the front. On 
the annual muster day his mother gave him seven cents 
to spend, of which she said he might put a cent or two 
into the contribution box for missions. A sudden thought 
struck him. He put all his money into the box and upon 
returning home and being questioned how he had en¬ 
joyed the day, reported the fact to his mother. As a re¬ 
sult he got “such a bowl of milk as he had never eaten.” 

When seventeen years of age he joined the Congre¬ 
gational Church of Portland, where he was working as an 
apprentice, and Deacon Isaac Smith, who had been noting 
the development of Christian character in young Hamlin, 
as well as his unusual talents, called him aside one day 
and urged him to think seriously of the ministry as his 
life’s work. His reply was, “The expenses make it abso¬ 
lutely impossible”; but the good deacon answered, “Oh, 
I will see to that. The Church has voted to aid to the 
extent of $1,000.” With feelings of great tenderness 
and gratitude he bade his friends farewell and departed 
for Bridgton, Maine. 


132 


CYRUS HAMLIN 


Young Hamlin was an excellent student and by- 
working extra hours, was enabled to take the fitting 
course in about half the usual time. “He began his 
studies at five o'clock every morning and kept at work 
until ten, allowing scant time for meals and exercise. 
He was ready to pass his entrance examinations for 
college by the autumn of 1830." 

Cyrus entered Bowdoin college with fear and trembling 
and on account of poor opportunities for preparation 
secured his certificate of admission with great difficulty. 
Among his teachers, however, he had the distinguished 
poet, Henry W. Longfellow, with whom he came in 
close contact later as assistant librarian. 

At school Cyrus' influence was for the uplift of his 
fellow students. At his time hazing was at its height 
in Bowdoin. Through his influence several of the 
hazers were brought before court and the evil was 
broken up. He was also president of the Pecunian 
Society, the Prayer Circle and Theological, in which 
capacity he was often called upon to deliver public 
addresses. After one such address Prof. Longfellow, 
congratulating him, said, “Hamlin, that was the best 
oration I ever heard from lips studential." 

One day, after he had heard Professor Smyth lecture 
on the steam-engine, and learning that but few had ever 
seen one, he said to his professor, “I believe I could 
make an engine that would make any one see its work¬ 
ing. He was urged to do so and in about three months 
Hamlin's steam engine, the first ever made in Maine, 
was completed and the school gave him $175 for it as 
a model. It may yet be seen in Cleveland Cabinet in 
Bowdoin College. 

Having graduated from the college with the highest 


CYRUS HAMLIN 


133 


honors, he decided to enter upon missionary work. When 
he told his mother, she said, “Cyrus, I have always 
expected it, and I have not a word to say.” To prepare 
he entered Bangor Seminary. During his second year 
there, he delivered lectures upon scientific and mis¬ 
sionary subjects; but also practiced as well as preached; 
for he began missionary labors in a colony of 500 Irish¬ 
men located near the seminary. Temperature twenty- 
four below zero could not interfere with these regular 
visits. When he saw families destitute, he had food, 
clothing and even wood and bedding sent. Others 
became interested in his work and much good resulted. 

Early in his senior year Hamlin offered himself to 
the American Board, and in February a letter from 
secretary Armstrong informed him of his appointment 
to educational work in Constantinople. He felt well 
pleased with the appointment, for since there the climate 
was healthful, he decided to ask the one woman of his 
election, Henrietta Jackson, whether she would not 
accompany him and share his life in that country. His 
offer was not despised. On September 3, 1838 he was 
married to Miss Jackson and after his ordaination in 
Portland on October 3, 1838, he set sail for Constanti¬ 
nople, where he and his wife arrived in January, 1839, 
heartily welcomed by the missionaries already laboring 
there. 

Despite hostility shown by the Russian government, 
Mr. Hamlin plunged heartily into the work. He decided 
to establish a seminary in that locality and after a long 
search decided upon the house. Though the school 
opened with only two pupils, the number soon grew 
to twelve. Instruction and board were free, though 
every pupil provided his books, bedding and other 


134 


CYRUS HAMLIN 


necessaries. Soon Mr. Hamlin had a workshop fitted 
up where he made all sorts of tools and apparatus for 
philosophical demonstrations, although the Moslem 
Orientals attributed all mechanical skill to Satan. 

One afternoon a shabby looking personage bent 
double with rheumatism visited Mr. Hamlin and warned 
him that on the morrow the patriarchate would throw all 
his students into prison. Hamlin at once sent his pupils 
home and asked them to go to the Patriarch and say, 
“Mr. Hamlin has come to assist your people, not to con¬ 
tend against you, and he has closed his seminary and 
dismissed every pupil.” The plan worked and after 
a vacation of a few weeks school went quietly on with 
more pupils than ever. Yet the Greeks and Armenians 
hated the “heretic.” They threatened to drive Mr. Ham¬ 
lin away and the gamins threw stones from their hiding 
places on the hill and even stoned the house so as to 
break the roof. A complaint to the police, however, 
again secured quiet for a while. 

Soon the seminary was enlarged and in 1841, removed 
to a new place overlooking the Bosporus. The work 
needed more teachers and the Board sent Rev. G. W. 
Wood, “an able, faithful, honored and beloved coadjutor,” 
to lift many burdens from the overloaded shoulders 
of Mr. Hamlin. 

Learning that according to the Chapter of Privileges 
“every foreign colony settling at the Capital should 
have the right to its own mill and bakery free from 
interference from the guilds,” Dr. Hamlin saw the 
opportunity, and, mentioning the matter to Mr. Chas. 
Ede, an English banker, received the reply, “Get your 
firman, and I will advance all the money you want.” 
After some difficulties and through the kind assistance 


CYRUS HAMLIN 


135 


of Mr. Tappan, Dr. Hamlin gained the permission of the 
station and also of the Board to build the mill. It met 
with immediate success. After the first year Dr. Ham¬ 
lin was able to repay one half the money borrowed from 
Mr. Ede and eight per cent interest. Thus many poor 
but industrious natives were given remunerative employ¬ 
ment, but no lazy person was tolerated. 

In the autumn of 1853, during the Crimean War, 
Commissary General Smith made a contract with Dr. 
Hamlin, according to which the latter should deliver 
several thousand pounds of bread daily to the English 
hospital at Scutari. The purveyor and head physician, 
seeing the vast profits of the missionary demanded a 
share and being refused, attempted to force a compliance 
by heating the bread delivered and reporting it as 
“bad bread.” The plot, however, failed and soon a new 
contract was made, according to which Dr. Hamlin fur¬ 
nished from twelve to twenty thousand pounds per day. 
Bread for Sunday, however, was always delivered on 
Saturday evening. 

In various other ways did the inventive genius of Dr. 
Hamlin assert itself. When he found that the English 
soldiers were suffering from filth and vermin, he made 
washing machines from some oak beer-casks and engaged 
to wash their clothes. In this way 3000 articles were 
put through in one day. 

The net proceeds from these various industries, 
$25,000, Dr. Hamlin offered to the Board, but when 
they declined accepting it, he put it into the Church 
Building Fund, thus helping to build thirteen churches 
with school houses annexed. 

After a brief visit to America, where he was every¬ 
where received with honor, he resigned his cennection 


13^ 


CYRUS HAMLIN 


with the Board on May 1, 1860, and began with Mr. 
Christopher R. Robert the work of founding a college 
at Constantinople, now known as Robert College. A site 
for the college, overlooking the Bosporus, was purchased 
for $7000. Here was to be built a missionary college 
for all peoples and languages of the Empire, but the 
English tongue was to be the medium of instruction. 

As a beginning of the building fund Mr. Robert 
donated $30,000 worth of railroad bonds; but the 
difficulty lay in securing a permission to build. The 
Turks were adverse to the idea of permitting the college 
to occupy such a prominent site. All argument and 
effort in this direction seemed vain. Finally Admiral 
Farragut made his appearance in the Bosporus with 
a few of his warships. Dr. Hamlin asked him to evince 
an interest in the school in the presence of the Grand 
Vizier, The effect was magical. In a few days Dr. 
Hamlin received permission to build as soon as he 
wanted to. Shortly afterwards he received an imperial 
irade, placing the school under the protection of the 
United States. Today the stars and stripes may be 
seen floating proudly over the main college building. 

Dr. Hamlin now returned to America to attempt the 
raising of a $100,000 endowment fund for the school, 
but through financial and other difficulties in America 
only $56,000 could be secured. Dr. Hamlin wrote Mr. 
Robert that he had decided to give up the effort and 
return to Constantinople; but he was dismissed without 
explanation. 

He was growing old now, and, having saved nothing 
of the $30,000 given the missionary work froni his own 
earnings, the question of his own and his family’s sup¬ 
port was seriously to be considered. $500 received for 


JAMES HANNINGTON 


137 


writing his book, “Among the Turks,” provided sus¬ 
tenance for a few months. Soon he received a call to 
the chair of Theology in Bangor Theological Seminary, 
which was followed by a call to the presidency of Middle- 
bury College. 

At seventy-five years of age he resigned his office, 
which he felt that he should turn over to the cares of 
a younger man. With great reluctance the Board of 
Trustees accepted the resignation. Now he took up 
the work of field agent for the American Board, and 
continued advising the Board and speaking for it as 
often as his strength would permit, until his eighty- 
ninth year, when he fell serenely asleep in Portland, the 
city of his early struggles, honored and beloved by all 
who knew him. 


JAMES HANNINGTON 

Killing a Lion's Cub 

In laboring among the natives of Central Africa, 
Bishop Hannington had many perilous adventures, from 
which, however, his quick, ingenious mind was never 
slow in extricating him. 

Once, while he was hunting insects in a short mimosa 
tangle, he ran onto a strange little animal of about the 
size of a sheep and, without further thought, shot it. 
With terror written in every features of his face, the 
native lad with him took his departure as fast as his 
legs could carry him, for the bishop had killed the cub 
of a lioness! Fearing being momentarily infectious, Han¬ 
nington also turned to flee, but at that moment a savage 
growl warned him that he was pursued, and a tremend¬ 
ous lioness shot directly for him. The loaded gun in his 



133 


JAMES HANNINGTON 


hand now seemed of little avail, so, realizing his danger¬ 
ous situation, since a lioness robbed of her whelp is an 
exceedingly dangerous creature to have any dealings 
with, he turned and ran a few steps, but now growls 
of increased volume and fierceness again caused Hanning- 
ton to turn, only to see another lion, the mate of the 
lioness, also making for him. 

Hoping that they might pause at the dead cub, he 
watched them closely a moment; but no. They went 
straight for him with all the determination of brute 
revenge. 

Seeing that escape by running was impracticable, he 
halted, made a full stop and turned sharply on them. 
Instantly the lions checked their speed and then stood 
lashing their tails in boiling rage a few paces from him. 
They were, indeed, a royal looking pair, of a variety 
noted for fierceness; but that did not make the situation 
any more pleasant for their victim. Evidently thinking 
it unsafe to attack the strange being, which acted so 
peculiarly, the lions stood for some time eyeing the man. 

In the meantime Hannington decided not to shoot, 
but to try what a little noise and dancing would do. 
Accordingly he suddenly threw up his arms in the air 
and, setting up a yell, danced about like a madman. 
Both lions, surprised beyond measure at seeing a bishop 
in such a strangely unnatural attitude, turned tail and 
showed themselves no more. 

The coast was now clear, so Hannington seized the 
cub by the hind legs—a beautiful little creature—and 
dragged it for some distance along the ground as rapidly 
as possible. Then he swung it up over his shoulder 
and beat a hasty retreat to the camp, keeping a sharp 
lookout on all sides, lest the parents might return at 


SUSAN B. HIGGINS 


139 


any time to reclaim their cub and thus put him in an 
embarrassing position. 

The arrival of the cub in the camp caused a great 
excitement among the natives; crowds came to see it, 
and would not believe that the bishop had dared to kill 
the “child of a lioness/” until they had seen its skin, for 
the killing of a cub is more dangerous than the shoot¬ 
ing of a lion. 


SUSAN B. HIGGINS 

The Faithful Missionary to Yokohama 

The daughter of a devout Methodist minister after 
much hesitation and prayer decided to offer herself to 
the Mission Board. With this determination she went 
to a quarterly meeting of the Missionary Society and 
after the meeting a Christian lady acquainted with her 
true character and worth remarked to her, “I think we 
will send you as a missionary sometime. ,, 

“Any time,” she promptly replied with a spirit that 
made the lady look intently into her eyes and add, 

“Apply, then, apply!” 

Miss Higgins, after graduating from the High School 
of Chelsea, Massachusetts, had been a superior teacher 
in the public schools of Boston; but as a follower of 
Jesus she often thought of His missionary work in 
foreign lands, and often, when missionary collections 
were being taken, she was much tempted to drop in a 
slip with the words, “I give myself;” but inherent 
modesty forbade. 

When, however, she had spoken the deciding words, 
“Any time,” she made a firm resolution, and no longer 
shrank from avowing her purpose. She went home in 
a very thoughtful mood. Her room mate, observing her 



140 


ELIJAH H00LE 


humor, inquired, “Susan, are you going to be a mis¬ 
sionary ?” 

“I am going to apply,” she returned. 

When Miss Higgins applied, there was no vacancy, 
but she was not made to wait long, for the resignation 
of a lady recently appointed left Yokohama open, to 
which she was appointed. 

Tearful farewells were spoken and the heroic young 
lady was off, bound for a novel experience in a distant 
and to her a strange land. Her success there, however, 
was soon insured. Her affectionate and gentle nature 
soon won the love of the Japanese children, to whom she 
told “the old, old story of Jesus and his love.” 

Her bright prospect was soon clouded. In less than 
a year after beginning her work in Yokohama, she fell 
suddenly sick, and her physician frankly declared, “You 
may get well, but it is very doubtful.” 

“I am in the Lord’s hands,” was her calm response. 
“Living or dying, I am his.” 

The good Lord willed to take her to the ranks of the 
crowned heroes and heroines of the Cross above, and 
she died with a song of triumph on her tongue. 

ELIJAH HOOLE 

The Heroic Wesleyan Missionary to India 

It was in the year 1820. The vessel “Tanjore” was 
at sea and already nearing her destination. Aboard was 
Elijah Hoole, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. James 
Mowat, all Wesleyan missionaries bound for Madras, 
India. On a fine, warm September day, after Mr. Hoole 
had been standing on deck for some time, taking a fare¬ 
well view of the mountains of Ceylon disappearing in the 
distance, a heavy cloud with a luminous center caught 



ELIJAH HOOLE 


141 

his eye. He pointed the same out to the ship’s captain, 
who thought it harmless. Then the storm, which had 
been rising, grew more violent, and the missionary 
retreated out of the rushing rain to the cuddy. Suddenly 
a blinding, crackling flash was accompanied by a deafen¬ 
ing peal of thunder; the ship was struck by lightning. 
Two seamen fell dead on the deck and a third was 
prostrated. 

“Fire in the hold! Fire below!” came the loud shout 
of the second mate. 

Pumps were manned and buckets of water passed 
around. All worked nervously, madly; but in vain! The 
ship must be abandoned. 

“Get out the boats!” rang out the command; but the 
long boat was already on fire. The “Yawl” and the 
“Gig,” however, were, with much difficulty, got afloat, 
and into these the people of the ship crowded, overload¬ 
ing the same, so that they sank almost to the water’s 
edge. In their haste they only took three oars. The 
Yawl had no rudder. Fortunately the sea was again 
calm by this time, and by skillful management they got 
clear of the ship, which was now enveloped in flames. 
Soon the greedy sea engulfed her, leaving forty-two 
persons on the deep, dark sea, without food, water or 
much clothing. Still the missionaries remained calm 
and peaceful, trusting in Him, for whose sake they had 
left their safe English homes. 

Slowly, very slowly the night wore away, disclosing 
to their gaze a wild, uninhabitable jungle, bordered by 
forbidding, bristling rocks. This was disheartening. In 
the distance, however, they sighted a native vessel lying 
at anchor and, reaching it, at last persuaded its owners 
to take them all on board. Fortunately they were not 


142 


ELIJAH HOOLE 


far from Trincomalee, Ceylon, where there was a Wes¬ 
leyan mission station, and thus, forty-three hours after 
quiting the burning ship the unfortunate missionaries 
were safely housed there with these, their brethren in 
Christ. 

Soon they again ventured on sea, taking a small 
schooner named the “Cochin” bound for Madras, in 
Southern India. The smallness of the vessel, together 
with a high sea, which often washed the decks, made the 
passage very rough and uncomfortable; but after three 
days and two nights on the deep, they were permitted 
to join their missionary brethren in Madras. 

Having received their appointment to Bangalore, 
situated some distance in the interior, Mr. Hoole and 
Mr. Mowat were anxious to start at once for their post 
of duty; but they were detained by their considerate 
friends until they should have restored their missing 
wardrobes and libraries, and meanwhile their kind hosts 
offered them their own libraries for use while they studied 
the Tamul language during their stay in Madras. At 
this time Mr. Hoole visited the congregation of the Wes¬ 
leyan missionaries, and was surprised and pleased by 
their rapt attention to the missionaries as they spoke 
and by their attitude of lying prostrate on their faces 
in prayer. 

Soon thereafter the missionary at Negapatam one 
hundred and eighty miles south of Madras, asked for 
an assistant., Mr. Hoole at once consented to go. He 
had to travel in a palankeen, a sort of covered cot carried 
on the shoulders of carriers by means of two poles, and, 
though Mr. Hoole shrank from using men as beasts of 
burden, when he saw his ten carriers and six men to 
carry baggage and cooking utensils, he submitted to the 


WILLIS R. HOTCHKISS 


143 


necessity. Four men carried the palankeen at a time. 
Changing hands every ten minutes, they kept a pace 
of about five miles an hour, until they reached a choultry, 
or resting place. These choultries were merely four 
stone or brick walls covered with a roof, where travelers 
could rest. Here Mr. Hoole drank some tea, and then 
slept. But that was not all. Through the aid of an 
interpreter, he also told the sweet story of Jesus, and 
found many interested listeners. Much of the traveling 
was done under the soft light of the brilliant moon, the 
bearers trotting along through swamps and jungles, over 
hills and bridgeless streams. In crossing swollen streams 
the bearers, stripped of their clothing, often had to wade 
across the swift current, with the water up to their necks, 
carrying the palankeen on their heads. 

After eight days of this uncomfortable travel, Mr. 
Hoole reached Negapatam, which, for a brief space of 
time, was his field of labor. For eight years he labored 
in India, seeing rich fruit of his labors, until failing 
health necessitated his return to England. Other men 
took his place and now multitudes of Indians, who were 
formerly wretched heathens, have seen the light and 
have become devoted followers of Jesus. 


WILLIS R. HOTCHKISS 

A Remarkable Rhinoceros Hunt 

During the first months of his work in the African 
missionary field, Mr. Hotchkiss’ life was one of constant 
trouble and danger. Though he spoke and preached the 
Gospel, the natives would not hear him, but instead 
plotted for his removal from their midst, either by mur¬ 
der or otherwise. Supposing him to be a government 
official, it was at first rumored that he would soon have 



144 


WILLIS R. HOTCHKISS 


soldiers to follow him, and though they later found 
themselves to be mistaken in this regard, they still 
hated him and wished to be rid of the white man. At 
length the missionary was informed that if he did not 
depart within three days, he would be killed and the 
mission house burned down; but the heroic man of God 
merely sent back the answer that he had come to teach 
them the Word of God, and that he intended to stay. 
Seeing that the white man was not to be frightened 
away, the natives resorted to a process of starving him 
out, issuing a proclamation that any one detected while 
bringing him food should be killed. 

All this was quickly overcome in a strange and very 
unusual way, due to a peculiarity of the people: that of 
asking a favor of a person though they may be at 
daggers’ points with him. A couple of rhinoceri had 
been ravaging the fields of the natives and destroying 
their crops, besides menacing the lives of the people 
themselves. A party of natives now came to the hated 
white man and begged him to go with a party to hunt 
down the destructive beasts. 

Early on the morning set apart for the hunt, the 
missionary had just called his men together for wor¬ 
ship and then appointed them to their several tasks, 
when a great clamor was heard from across the river. 
Supposing it to be a drinking party, Mr. Hotchkiss at 
first paid little attention to the loud yelling; but soon 
his old friend Mutu Nyaa came running to him, accom¬ 
panied by a boy crying that the “Mbuzya,” (rhinoceros), 
was but about a half a mile distant. The crowd was 
looking for the white man. 

Thinking that God might have a purpose in all this, 
the missionary took his rifle, which a native brought 


WILLIS R. HOTCHKISS 


145 


him, and, accompanied by one of the natives with another 
rifle, ran down the path, across the river and up the 
hill, towards the place where the rhinoceros was said 
to be. There a grand sight met his eyes. Every hill 
top, as far as he could see, was swarming with people, 
who raised a deafening clamor. Of course, it was a 
foolish way to hunt rhinoceri, who are dangerous 
enough when not excited. 

On a steep hillside beyond a narrow, deep gully the 
rhino was reported to have taken refuge. The terrified 
natives had remained far from the spot. Making their 
way cautiously to this spot, Mr. Hotchkiss and the 
native peered cautiously into every bush, until near 
the top a man beckoned to the missionary and pointed 
out to him the animal's hiding place, after which he, too, 
beat a hasty retreat. Indeed, he could hardly be blamed 
for this, for the great animal, standing with its ungainly 
head swinging from side to side in excitement caused 
by the noisy crowd, truly made a very formidable 
appearance. Standing ten feet in length and six feet 
tall, he made a good picture at once of power and 
ugliness. Despite its ponderous bulk, the rhino's hide¬ 
ous head was set with little eyes no larger than a man’s, 
while its snout was surmounted by two perpendicularly 
standing horns, about one and two feet in length 
respectively, which were its chief weapons of offense. 

Having sighted the animal, Mr. Hotchkiss calmly 
prepared to shoot. Owing to the rhino's position among 
the trees, he could not hit him behind the ear as he 
desired, but had to aim at him squarely in front, a bad 
place, on account of the horns. The first ball broke 
off the front horn and buried itself in the center of his 
head. At once the animal began to snort fiercely and 


146 


WILLIS R. HOTCHKISS 


tramp around among the trees. Again Hotchkiss shot, 
hitting him in the side of the head, whereupon the brute 
turned and ran away at full speed. 

The natives, wild with joy at the sight of the trail 
of blood, set off in pursuit. Racing over fields, through 
bushes and across streams at breakneck speed, Hotch¬ 
kiss and the swarm of Africans finally came upon the 
wounded rhinoceros in another clump of trees. Again 
the throng of excited negroes formed a great, dusky 
ring about the principal actors in the scene, filling every 
hill, tree and elevated place within seeing distance. 

Praying mightily to God for a place in the hearts 
of these savages through that day’s work, the missionary 
prepared for a fresh encounter with his adversary. Tak¬ 
ing every precaution necessary to a rhinoceros hunter’s 
safety, he at first had a tree conveniently near vacated 
of certain youthful occupants, who had already 
appropriated it to themselves, so that he might have a 
place of retreat in case the brute might take it into his 
dull head to make a direct attack. Then, taking off his 
shoes, he crept to within fifty yards and, aiming his 
gun at the head, with a prayer for steadiness of aim, he 
fired. Not a sound followed the shot, and Hotchkiss 
knew that he had conquered. 

“Akawangamika!” (he is dead), he shouted to the 
nearest natives. A stampede followed. From every 
direction the mob poured in to view the fallen giant and 
everybody began telling everybody else just how it had 
happened, incidentally raising a terrific din by the 
process. 

The white man had become their hero by a single 
stroke. On the following day a long file of men made 
their way to his door, bearing bags of millet and beans 


JOHN HUNT 


147 


as a present. The battle against prejudice and supersti¬ 
tion was won and the Redeemers kingdom was greatly 
advanced by the shooting of one rhinoceros. 


JOHN HUNT 

The Apostle of Fiji 

The wonderful ways of God are in no way better 
revealed than in his direction of a man’s life. In the 
life of John Hunt the hand of the Lord may be clearly 
discerned. The son of a soldier, his soul was often 
fired by his father’s fireside stories, and he resolved to 
become a hero himself; though he little dreamed in what 
way his resolution would be carried out. When ten 
years old he was put to the hard labor of a plowboy. 
Six years later he fell ill of brain fever and, brought 
to the verge of the grave, his soul was filled with dread; 
and upon his recovery he began to attend a Methodist 
chapel and was soundly converted. 

He did not hesitate to work for the Lord. Though 
he had no education, he was asked to address an audience 
and, though his first attempt was a failure, he was 
invited to try again, and this time was blessed of God. 
Despite his uncouth appearance and rustic brogue, he 
became the favorite of the rural congregations, which 
he addressed and a Methodist preacher, perceiving a 
latent power in the rough farm-hand, recommended him 
to the Missionary Committee, which, after examining 
him, sent him to the Hoxton Training School, where 
he devoted himself to philology and theology. 

An appeal for more missionaries now came from 
Fiji, and in 1838 young Hunt and James Calvert, a young 
Yorkshire printer, were chosen to reinforce the small 
band of Christian workers among the cannibals. Hunt 



143 


JOHN HUNT 


wrote a manly letter to Hanna Summers, his betrothed, 
releasing her from her engagement, since he expected 
her parents to object to her going to Fiji; but the brave 
young woman avowed herself willing to “go anywhere” 
with him, so, after being united in marriage on April 19, 
they set sail for the heathen lands. 

Arriving at Fiji on December 22, they were appointed 
to Rewa, and, though it was a solitary station, far from 
Christian sympathy and aid, they went, undismayed. 
“They soon found, that, so far as the cruelties of the 
people were concerned, the half had not been told them.” 
These people were, without doubt, the most deeply 
degraded of the degraded. Cruelty, revenge and blood¬ 
shed, with them, was an everyday occurrence, while 
deeds of savage barbarity were committed by them, 
which cannot be described to Christian people. “In¬ 
fanticide and cannibalism flourished in even darker 
forms than in other savage lands. Two-thirds of all the 
children were killed in infancy, and every village had 
an executioner appointed to carry out this deed of blood. 
Those who survided were early trained to the darkest 
deeds. Dead bodies were handed over to them to hack 
and hew; living captives were given up to them to 
mutilate and torture.” It is no wonder that aged 
parents were butchered and eaten by their own children 
Indeed, a man often cooked his best wife or most tender 
child, and invited his friends to the awful banquet. The 
horrid practice was mingled with all the acts of life 
and worship. Even in launching their canoes, chiefs 
used either live or dead men as rollers. 

Though amid all this savagery, surrounded by such 
men, who had scarcely any regard for human life, Mr. 
Hunt, placing his life in God's hands, scattered the 


JOHN HUNT 


149 


seeds of the Gospel, and before long they began to take 
root. Converts were made and with conversion came 
persecution of the new Christians. They were pillaged 
of their property; but bore the cross cheerfully, testify¬ 
ing to the love of Christ. 

After seven months’ labor, Mr. Hunt and his col¬ 
league, Mr. Lyte and their wives, determined to carry 
the Gospel to the Samosamo, though they were reputed 
to excell the other Fijians in ferocity. Though they 
had been invited by the king, their reception was cold 
and the sights they were compelled to see were appalling. 
Within a week, upon the loss of the king’s youngest 
son at sea, despite Hunt’s protests, sixteen women were 
killed and roasted in front of the mission house, amid 
the blast of conchs and the yells of incarnate devils. 
Such sights were repeated and when Mrs. Hunt closed 
the window blinds against the horrible sight, the savages 
threatened to burn down the house, unless the windows 
were reopened. 

In 1840, Commodore Wilkes, U. S. N., visited the 
island and, seeing the deplorable condition of the mis¬ 
sionaries, offered to convey them away; but they refused 
to go, though even the chiefs commanded them to 
depart. Among all the perils and annoyances, Mr. Hunt 
worked steadily and earnestly, always, as he said, “turn¬ 
ing his care into prayer.” 

Mr. Hunt labored three years at Samosamo. Though 
his labors were apparently unrequited, still, at his de¬ 
parture, the morals of the island were decidedly better 
than at his appearance. Great feasts were now held 
by the king, without a single dead human body, while 
trips were taken in boats without the aid of human 
bodies as rollers. 


150 


JOHN HUNT 


From Samosamo Mr. Hunt removed to Viwa, and, 
though now broken in health, he devoted himself with 
increased zeal to toil, study, teaching, preaching and 
translating. He first gave the Fijians the New Testa¬ 
ment in their own language. Besides his other labor 
he also kept up his personal study of Greek, Hebrew and 
English literature, and wrote a work on sanctification. 

Such devotion was not unrewarded. A great and 
glorious religious awakening took place, and among the 
converts was the Queen of Viwa. Though a strong 
woman, she fainted twice under the burden of her con¬ 
viction, and revived only to renew her cries and tears. 
‘‘The effect soon became more general. It was very 
affecting to see upward of a hundred Fijians, many of 
whom were a few years ago some of the worst cannibals, 
chanting ‘We praise thee, O God;’ while their voices 
were almost drowned by the cries of the broken-hearted 
penitents.” 

Soon the Christians of Viwa were bitterly per¬ 
secuted. The neighboring tribes harrassed them by a 
relentless war and threatened to bake them in their 
ovens; yet they stood firm, only saying, “It is very easy 
for us to come to Mbau and be cooked; but it is very 
difficult to renounce Christianity.” 

Mr. Hunt’s continuous toil at length broke down his 
formerly strong constitution, and now he was evidently 
dying. It was touching to see the sorrow of the con¬ 
verts. With sad faces they flocked to the chapel and 
prayed earnestly for their missionary. “O Lord,” cried 
Elijah Verani, “we know we are very bad; but spare 
thy servant. If one must die, take me! take ten of us! 
but spare thy servant to preach Christ to the people.” 

But the Lord willed otherwise. As the missionary 


JAMES ADDISON INGLE 


i5i 

neared his end, he confidently committed his wife and 
babies to God; but was sorely distressed for Fiji. Re¬ 
peatedly he sobbed aloud, “Lord, bless Fiji! save Fiji!” 
Then, turning to his mourning wife, he said, “If this 
be dying, praise the Lord!” Presently, “as his eyes 
looked up with a bright joy defying death, he exclaimed, 
T want strength to praise Him abundantly!’ and with 
the note of triumph, ‘Hallelujah/ on his lips, he joined 
the worship in the skies.” 

The good work did not end with his death; but God 
has blessed abundantly the labors of His servants. Even 
the wicked king Thakombau confessed Christ before a 
multitude of subjects whom he had wronged; and Fiji 
is now not only a gem in the crown of Great Britain, 
but also “a jewel in the missionary diadem.” For this 
the first honor belongs to John Hunt. 


JAMES ADDISON INGLE 

“The Trainer of Chinese Winners” 

Of this man it is said that, “if God had seen fit 
to spare Bishop Ingle’s life for twenty or thirty years, 
he would have become one of the greatest missionaries 
of modern times,” and that is not improbable. Already 
in 1890, when he was a student at the Theological 
Seminary at Alexandria, the greatness of his mind was 
made apparent by his large ideals, yet his thoughtfulness 
of little things. Being in charge of the chapel for colored 
people near the seminary building, he began making 
a path to tbe chapel through the soft ground, using 
for the purpose the ashes from his stove. A fellow 
student, observing him one day, asked, “Why do you 
bother with the path, ‘Bishop/ you won’t be in the 



152 


JAMES ADDISON INGLE 


seminary long enough to enjoy it?” “No,” replied Ingle, 
but it will always be here for the other fellows.” 

One night this thoughtful young man heard an old 
Chinese missionary relate the various difficulties and 
blessings of his work. He ended with the words, 
“Gentlemen, must I go back alone?” Ingle responded 
to the call. He applied for an appointment, raised his 
own traveling expenses and first year’s salary and was 
in Shanghai in 1891. As his post Hankow, six hundred 
miles up the Yangtze River, was assigned him. 

In building up his church, Mr. Ingle firmly believed 
and preached that the Chinese Christians should be 
self-propagating, self-disciplining and self-maintaining. 
To attain this standard, he gathered about him Chinese 
laymen, whom he trained to go out and win other 
people. Thus he soon had about him groups of men, who 
appealed to the Chinese with good effect, because they 
were natives. 

In self-discipline he was very strict. If an “offender” 
had brought public shame on the church, he was made to 
publicly confess his sin before the congregation and 
to make reparation as far as possible, while his name and 
an explanation of the wrong was posted before public 
gaze in the guest-room of the mission. Meantime he 
was obliged to attend the services as usual, occupying 
a bench assigned to the penitents until he had served his 
period of probation and, having proven the sincerity of 
his repentence, the sign was removed from the guest¬ 
room and he was declared forgiven and restored. This 
system was carried out in a loving spirit and met the 
approval of the native clergy. 

In order that his church might be self-maintaining, 
each congregation was warned to keep within its income. 


FATHER ISAAC JOGUES 


153 


In new stations religious services were held in the 
upper room of some Christian’s house, which was fitted 
up with rudfe benches, Chinese wall scrolls, a Chinese 
table for an altar, and the simplest cross, until a better 
meeting-place could be afforded. 

In 1901, Mr. Ingle was made the first bishop of a new 
missionary district and entered with enthusiasm upon 
his great work. “Boone School for boys, St. Hilda’s 
School for girls in Wuchang, a small boarding school 
for boys in Hankow, three hospitals, and churches in 
eighteen centers, were a great joy to him.” Of this 
work he wrote, “We are striving for the salvation of 
the whole man, the whole nation.” 

Two years after his consecration as bishop he was 
stricken with fever and died. His system of training 
native workers is the most simple and most practical 
yet devised and sets the standard for all succeeding work 
in the Lord’s vineyard. 


FATHER ISAAC JOGUES 

The Jesuit Martyr Missionary 

True Christian heroism is not limited by religious 
persuasion of belief nor by denominational lives. The 
growing spirit of Christian tolerance and unity among 
the churches, especially in the foreign mission fields is 
a pleasing and promising omen of our times. 

This volume relating so many missionary hero stories 
regardless of religious faith or q^urch affiliation must 
not draw the line of fair and honorable recognition 
even between Protestantism and Catholicism. Even the 
most avowed adherent to the spirit of the reformation 
can not contemplate without feeling the courage and 



154 


FATHER ISAAC JOGUES 


self-sacrificing devotion of the Jesuit martyr-mission¬ 
aries in Canada. 

Among the faith heroes of that particular branch of 
Christendom perhaps none is more conspicuous and 
noteworthy than Father Isaac Jogues, one of the mis¬ 
sionaries sent north to Saint Marie, Canada, in 1642. 
The journey hence by way of Ottawa and the rivers 
that interlock with it comprised a distance of more 
than nine hundred miles through dense forests and hor¬ 
rible obstructions difficult to encounter. 

Among the Hurons, residing in that region of country 
between Lake Huron and Lake Superior the Jesuits 
made several converts, but on account of the fiendish 
superstitions of the Indians who blamed the missionaries 
for all manner of imaginary evils, the missions estab¬ 
lished were kept in a constant state of alarm by the 
intrusions of the Iroquois, or Confederacy of five 
nations, the unrelenting foes of the Hurons. 

Father Jogues and other Frenchmen were made pris¬ 
oners and during a long and terrible pilgrimage were 
led from one Indian village to another subject to all 
manner of cruel and barbarous torture without mercy 
and continually threatened with death. 

Yet these missionaries sought to labor and be faith¬ 
ful and winning witnesses for their Master not only 
among the Christian Hurons, but even among the bar¬ 
barous Indians who persecuted them without reasonable 
cause. 

After days and weeks of turmoil, torture and travel, 
enduring hunger, sleeplessness and wounds, Father 
Jogues and his companion, Rene Goupil, were reduced 
to a state of pitiable exhaustion. 

While in this condition, one day Jogues and Goupil 


FATHER ISAAC JOGUES 


155 


were walking in the woods, just outside of camp, a 
liberty accorded them, since they did not seek to escape, 
they were rudely accosted by two savages, who com¬ 
pelled them to return to the camp. At the entrance of 
the camp one of the savages struck Goupil a blow on his 
defenseless head with his tomahawk, killing him in¬ 
stantly. Overwhelmed with this murderous assault, 
Father Jogues knelt down on the spot, and uncovering 
his head, expected a like blow. But after thus kneeling 
for a minute or two he was commanded to rise. After¬ 
wards he learned that his companion had been thus 
killed by the orders of an old Indian on whose grand¬ 
child Goupil had made the sign of the cross, which the 
Indians viewed with superstitious horror. 

After months of suffering, Father Jogues, on his 
arrival at Fort Orange, was reminded of a means of escape, 
by the commander of the Dutch troops, offering him 
passage on board the vessel lying at anchor there. 
Father Jogues thanked the commander very much, but 
feared the Indians might suspect the Dutch of favoring 
his escape and perhaps retaliate by doing them some 
injury. “No! No!” he replied, do not fear, get on board; 
it is a fine opportunity, and you will never find a surer 
way of escape. 

Much to the commander’s surprise, even then the 
worthy Father asked for a night to consider the question, 
because his conscience was in doubt whether he might 
not be of some service to the captive Hurons. Finally 
being clear in his own consciousness that under pre¬ 
vailing conditions his chances of doing good where he 
was were poor, he accepted the commander’s offer and 
returned home to Europe, reaching France on Christmas 
day, 1643. 


156 


LIZZIE JOHNSON 


Everywhere, by his many friends, by the college of 
his order and even by the Queen Regent, Anna of 
Austria, at Paris, whence he was ordered, he was royally 
received, because of what he had suffered for Christ’s 
sake. 

Father Jogues’ sense of responsibility, however, was 
so great that he felt uncomfortable and could not rest 
until he returned to Canada, which he did in the spring 
of 1644. “I shall go and not return,” he said as he set 
out for the scene of his former sufferings. His prophecy, 
became true, for by the stroke of a treacherous Indian’s 
ax he died as a martyr to the Master’s cause. 

LIZZIE L. JOHNSON 

The Shut-in Missionary 

“God hath chosen the weak things of the world to 
confound the things which are mighty.” I Cor. 1:27. 
That affliction may be a blessing in disguise, and that 
saintly character and great usefulness in the Master’s 
kingdom may, in the providence of God, emanate from 
weakness and obscurity, has been beautifully and won¬ 
derfully manifested in the life and labors of the late 
Miss Lizzie L. Johnson of Casey, Illinois. As the im¬ 
mortal John Bunyan, shut up in prison, providentially 
inspired, wrote the words that have guided the hosts of 
Christian pilgrims onward in their journey toward the 
celestial city, so this lovely Christian girl, this daughter 
of the King, shut up in the quiet little room of her humble 
cottage home and confined to her bed of affliction, set 
in motion noble missionary enterprises that honor God 
and bless mankind. 

At the age of thirteen years she became an invalid 
and from twenty to forty years was bedfast and hopeless, 



LIZZIE JOHNSON 


15 7 


so far as her poor body was concerned. During the first 
years of her illness every effort was made to restore 
her health, but nothing availed. Her affliction was a 
spinal trouble, which, affecting her nerve centers, ren¬ 
dered her illness most distressing to herself and very 
difficult for her caretakers. At times the slightest noise 
occasioned her great pain. She seemed to have developed 
an abnormal degree of the sense of touch, and became 
very sensitive to the presence of persons in her room, 
or of anything touching her bed. She was never without 
pain, and yet she bore her affliction with Christian 
resignation and so applied herself to study as to become 
a polished scholar, widely read, a most interesting con¬ 
versationalist and correspondent. A former pastor 
describing her says: “Personally she was a beautiful 
woman, lily white complexion, black eyes and hair, a 
radiant countenance and a character that, once met, left 
its imprint on you ever after.” 

Those who knew her best say she never seemed to 
want sympathy, and never appeared desirous of talking 
about her illness. There is one great subject on which 
she loved to talk, and that is missions. She was not 
only well informed, but also had some very original 
ideas on this great theme. Being an enlightened Chris¬ 
tian mind and a consecrated spirit she was an inspiration 
to her visitors and to the loved ones in her home. 
Although shut off from the world and its pleasure, she 
always entertained a strong desire to do good and to be 
helpful to others. She did a great work for missions, 
not only through her personal work, but also through 
the inspiration she aroused in others. 

She first became interested in missions in 1885, upon 
hearing her father read of William Taylor’s sailing for 


158 


LIZZIE JOHNSON 


Africa with a band of missionaries. She learned more 
about the Dark Continent through reading “The Africa 
News.” Her interest in the missionary cause led her 
to make a quilt which, through the friendly aid of Bishop 
Warne, was exhibited before Christian audiences and 
sold in shares for $600, which amount was applied to 
Christian work in India. She undertook to make silk 
book marks, each of which bore some message of com¬ 
fort, and sold them for fifteen cents, or two for twenty- 
five cents, and applied the proceeds to missionary work 
in the heathen world. God blessed her efforts with 
marvelous success. Her book marks found an abundant 
market and were sent to every state in the Union, as 
well as to Mexico, Canada, England, Scotland, Italy, 
Africa, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, 
China and Japan. 

During her years of suffering she made and sold over 
two hundred thousand book marks and raised for mis¬ 
sions twenty thousand dollars, with which she supported, 
in foreign lands, native Christian workers that have given 
in the aggregate over a century and a half of service in 
the vineyard of the Lord. In addition to this she left 
in her home, at the time of her death, a very large 
supply of book marks, the proceeds of which, together 
with the royalty on her interesting biography, will be 
administered by her sister, Alice Johnson, in the con¬ 
tinued support of her twenty native workers and four 
native students in foreign mission fields. All of her 
workers are educated people. Some of them speak two 
or three languages, and all are graduates of the native 
mission schools. 

On September 14, 1909, came this saintly soul’s 
coronation day. Realizing that she was dying she said: 


WILLIAM AUGUSTINE BERNARD JOHNSON 159 

“O how sweet, how sweet,” and without a struggle fell 
asleep in Jesus. It was the eve of the Illinois Con¬ 
ference. The report of her death stirred the Conference. 
Bishop Goodsell designed a delegation of six ministers to 
attend the funeral services as honorary pallbearers. In 
death her face had a halo and on it peace. She was 
buried in white; a white casket enshrining the mortal 
remains of a white and radiant soul now translated to the 
glory world, where those who turn many to righteousness 
shall shine as the stars forever and ever. 


WILLIAM AUGUSTINE BERNARD 
JOHNSON 

Missionary Among the Negroes of Siere Leone 

On account of personal character, as well as of the 
marvellous amount of successful work he was allowed 
to accomplish in his short career of seven years in the 
field, Johnson’s name is worthy of mention among those 
of missionary heroes. 

Johnson, by birth a Hanoverian, passed some years 
in a German counting house; but, when twenty-eight 
years of age, when the call to the mission field reached 
him, he was working in a sugar refiner’s establishment 
in London. Three years previously he had been remark¬ 
ably converted to God. It was during war time, and 
his wages were so low, and provisions were so expensive, 
that he and his wife were on the brink of starvation. 
One evening, as he came home despondent, he remem¬ 
bered a Bible verse, which he had learned when only 
eight years of age: “Call upon me in the day of trouble, 
I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” “Call 
upon Me!” But will He hear me, who have sinned 
against Him? Oh, to have no worldly prospects, and 



160 WILLIAM AUGUSTINE BERNARD JOHNSON 


an angry God! Such were the tumultuous thoughts that 
surged through his mind that night as he tossed to and 
fro in wretched restlessness. He went to work early 
to distract his mind; but at the breakfast hour he returned 
home to avoid suspicion as to his misery, and was met 
at the door by his smiling wife, who joyfully told him 
that she had obtained unexpected employment, with 
wages in advance, and his breakfast was ready. His 
feelings overwhelmed him. How good God was, and to 
a sinner! He decided to go to the evening service of the 
German church at the Savoy. A Moravian missionary 
preached, and that sermon brought Johnson to his 
Savior. 

From that moment he longed to bring others to that 
holy joy and peace which he was experiencing. His 
wife, the first object of his solicitude, at first resisted his 
endeavors; but later yielded and became his willing and 
devoted helper in his work. He also attended Bible and 
missionary meetings and as he thought of the misery 
of the heathen and of all that Christ had done for him, 
he felt that he too must go to the mission field. Many 
difficulties, however, were in the way and, quenching 
his new born desire, he drifted into carelessness and 
darkness, until another address from the pulpit, together 
with a personal call to the field aroused him. 

A German, Henry Duering, led Johnson to the noble 
work, which was to occupy the remainder of his life. 
Himself accepted by the Church Missionary Society as 
a schoolmaster of Sierra Leone, he called on Johnson and 
asked him to accompany him, stating that the Society 
wished to send another with him in that capacity. The 
offer was accepted, Johnson was ordained and in 1816, 
the two men went forth in the same ship to become the 


WILLIAM AUGUSTINE BERNARD JOHNSON i6r 


founders of those churches in Sierra Leone, which are 
now the hope and glory of the Dark Continent. 

The work before Johnson was of a difficult nature, 
requiring great patience and loving kindness. It was 
principally among downtrodden slaves, who had little 
intellectual power and, generally speaking, no ambition 
for the betterment of their condition physically or spirit¬ 
ually. These poor wretches were captured in midnight 
expeditions or in cruel wars; were chained together, 
driven in gangs to the sea board, where they were penned 
up in barracoons until the arrival of the slave ships. On 
these 400 were crammed together in a hole no larger than 
twelve yards long and seven wide and, after a journey, 
during which seventy per cent of them died on account 
of the lack of pure air, water and food, they were sold 
and placed under their task masters. It is not surprising 
that all ambition was crushed out of the surviving slaves. 
After the praise worthy act of Parliament, which liberated 
all slaves on English soil, many of these freed wretches 
were sent to Sierra Leone and these were the material 
out of which Johnson was to fashion his church. 

By the sainted Edward Bickersteth, Johnson was 
appointed to Regent’s Town, to undertake the education 
of about 1500 of these wretched negroes, who, emaciated 
by hunger and ulcerated by disease, were dying at the 
rate of seven or eight per day. Johnson labored among 
them with loving tenderness; but their callousness and 
indifference was deeply depressing. On the first Sunday 
only nine attended services, and these were almost 
naked. Being badly treated by all whites with whom 
they had thus far come in contact, they were still sus¬ 
picious of Johnson’s intentions. He, however, per¬ 
severed and, at every opportunity, even in giving out 


162 ' WILLIAM AUGUSTINE BERNARD JOHNSON 


the daily allowance of rice, which was one of his daily 
duties, he attempted to show sympathy and considera¬ 
tion. This soon had effect and his church, a large shed, 
was soon overflowed, so that the meetings had to be held 
out of doors, while pupils thronged to his school. It was 
impossible for him to do the teaching unaided, so he 
selected twelve boys and first taught these, beginning 
with the first four letters of the alphabet, and they in 
turn taught the others. So the work progressed and 
before a year had passed his pupils were reading the 
New Testament. 

Johnson, however, was not content as a school master; 
but labored, in spite of the many disappointments, to 
raise the people from their spiritual bondage and degre- 
dation to a higher life. The first evidence of any impres¬ 
sion having been made upon the native mind was detected 
by Johnson when he was almost ready to give up in utter 
despair. With this depressed feeling in his heart he had 
wandered out into the forest and sat down to meditate, 
when he heard a native voice among the bushes uttering 
the heart’s anxieties in earnest prayer. Thus strengthened 
he returned to his labors; but the climate was deadly, and 
the fellow helpers who came to him were constantly 
dropping at his side, while he himself was frequently 
prostratedjby fever, and his wife’s health was failing; 
so in 1819, he returned to England, being able to give 
a report of a church being capable of containing 1300 
people; of 263 communicants; and of a daily church 
attendance of from 500 to 900 natives. 

The wisdom and good judgment used by Johnson in 
admitting members into the church is best proven by the 
fact that the church, from the beginning, maintained 
a character of piety and stability. Though he had to 


WILLIAM AUGUSTINE BERNARD JOHNSON 163 


contend, in this respect, with opposing influences, still 
he wisely followed his own judgment and carefully dis¬ 
criminated between mere emotion—for the negroes are 
excitable people—from real religious enthusiasm and 
zeal. 

After a six months’ visit home, Johnson re-embarked 
for Africa, despite the imminent danger to his health, 
ready to live or die for the Lord Jesus, as might be 
decreed. The joy and excitement caused among the 
natives by his return is touching. At the time of his 
arrival Mr. Wilhelm led the service. After the dismissal 
of the meeting, one of the natives rushed into the church 
and loudly announced Mr. Johnson’s return. At once 
there was a dash for the door and windows and the con¬ 
gregation hurried out of the church. Some went to 
Freetown to visit Johnson that same night, while the 
others sang throughout the night for joy. 

Again Johnson plunged into active work, correcting 
the mistakes, which had inevitably arisen in his absence, 
building up the native church in strength and godliness, 
introducing the arts of civilization, raising the schools 
to progress and efficiency and, above all, preaching the 
name of Jesus, our Redeemer, to sinners. He also felt 
that he should not confine his labors to Regent’s Town 
alone, and so we find him making missionary explorations 
about the peninsula Sierra Leone, and in company with 
native Christians, preaching the Gospel amidst heathen 
greegrees and devil houses. 

In 1822, his wife’s increasing illness made it necessary 
to send her to England, but he labored on alone, despite 
his loneliness after his wife’s departure. The end was 
drawing nigh, though he was ignorant of it. Ophthalmia 
broke out in the colony, and he suffered severely from it. 


164 


ADONIRAM JUDSON, JR. 


His general health was poor and he needed rest; so, 
following medical advice, he sailed for England in April, 
1823, intending to rejoin his wife, and with her to return 
to Africa. 

God, however, willed otherwise. Apparently three 
days after his embarkation symptoms of fever appeared, 
which daily grew worse. On May 3, he said to his attend¬ 
ant, Sara Bickersteth, a native convert, who was on her 
way to England, “I think I cannot liveand then 
delirium set in. When reason returned he spoke lovingly 
of his wife and of his longing to see her, and asked Sara 
to read the twenty-third psalm, after which he said, 
“1 am going to die; pray for me.” After the prayer he 
gave instructions concerning the mission. The last words 
that Sara could catch were, “I cannot live. God calls 
me; I shall go to Him this night.” 

Thus, on May 4, 1823, died William A. B. Johnson, 
at the early age of thirty-five. Like Judson, he found his 
grave in the ocean; and needs no other monument than 
his blessed results, which he was allowed to accomplish. 
His last report was of 1079 scholars, of whom 710 could 
read, and 450 communicants. Glancing at such records 
we must thank God for raising up such men for the 
glorious work of spreading the Gospel, which alone can 
work such marvels as the missionary experiences and 
achievements. 


ADONIRAM JUDSON, JR. 

Missionary and Bible Translator, Burmah, India 

On August 9, 1788, Adoniram Judson, Jr., was born 
at Malden, Massachusetts. Of his youth little is known. 
Being the son of the congregational clergyman, he had 
the advantages of a religious culture; but, though he set 



ADONIRAM JUDSON, JR . 


165 


his standards of intellectual education high, its spiritual 
training was neglected. Still, after he had graduated at 
Brown University in 1807, he began thinking seriously 
about religion, and was convinced of the validity of 
Christian evidences, though his piety was still equivocal. 
Now he applied for admission at the Theological 
Seminary at Andover, desiring to study for the ministry. 
After some hesitation he was admitted, and with serious 
application and a natural talent for learning he made 
rapid progress. 

In 1809, he read Buchanan’s “Star of the East,” which 
suggested to him the importance of the mission work 
and awakened in him a desire to engage in it. The first 
persons to whom he communicated his feelings dis¬ 
couraged him; but finally he found several other fellow 
students, who sympathized with him. Seeing no avenue 
to the missionary field open in America, he determined 
to apply to the London Missionary Society for accept¬ 
ance ; but, though the reply was favorable, indications 
also became more favorable at home. Several more per¬ 
sons interested in foreign missions had been found, and 
a paper was drawn up, asking the advice of the Associa¬ 
tion, concerning the fulfillment of their wishes, with the 
result of the establishment of the American Board of 
Commissioners for Foreign Missions. 

After uniting in marriage with Miss Ann Hasseltine, 
on the 5th of February, 1812, Mr. Judson and his wife 
sailed for Calcutta. Difficulties with the Indian govern¬ 
ment, however, turned their attention to Burmah, and, 
guided by the hand of God, they arrived at Rangoon, in 
Burmah, July 14, 1813. 

Though he was not the first to attempt missionary 
work in Burmah, when he reached the deserted station 


i66 


ADONIRAM JUDSON, JR. 


in July, 1813, there was no perceptible result of former 
missionary labors. In the mission house, built by the 
English Baptist Society, he for three years studied the 
peculiar Burman language, without grammar, dictionary 
or English speaking teacher. 

After careful and diligent study of the Bible, espe¬ 
cially concerning baptism, Mr. Judson accepted the 
faith of the Baptist denomination. Hereupon he re¬ 
signed from the American Board, and his appeal to 
American friends caused the organization of the Amer¬ 
ican Baptist Foreign Missionary Society, of which he 
became a member. 

The happy mission home was soon afterwards 
touched by sorrow. In 1815 the only child, Roger 
Williams, died—an especially deep bereavement to 
solitary Christian parents in a strange heathen land. A 
year later, when Mr. Judson was preparing a tract, 
entitled “Summary of Christian Doctrines,” his eyes 
began to fail, so that he could scarcely read, while his 
health also became poor. 

Bright days, however, followed, when in 1816, Rev. 
Geo. Hough and wife arrived, with a printing press. 
Judson’s tract was now printed, together with a cat¬ 
echism, which he had prepared; and soon afterwards the 
gospel of Matthew. On March 7, 1817, he was glad¬ 
dened by a visit from the first anxious inquirer after 
Jesus, and this was followed by others. 

Soon afterwards Mr. Judson’s resolution and per- 
severence were tried. Sailing for Chittagong, to improve 
his health and to secure aid, he was blown by adverse 
winds from his course, and did not return for eight 
months. He was reported lost, and in this period of 
suspense cholera broke out, and Mr. and Mrs. Hough 


ADONIRAM JUDSON, JR. 


167 


sailed for Calcutta with their printing press, leaving 
Mrs. Judson alone amidst these fearful scenes. After 
a few days, however, Mr. Judson returned. Despite the 
dangerous disease raging around him and his wife, and 
in spite of the loss of the press and of his friends, he 
never lost heart nor faltered, nor was he tempted to 
look for another field. He considered his appointment 
to Rangoon providential and the thought of abandoning 
the work was never entertained, though later he was 
again sorely disappointed in the death of Mr. Wheelock 
and the sickness of Mr. Coleman, who had come in 1818 
to assist him. 

Now Mr. Judson began public preaching in a zayat, 
used as a chapel. All day long he sat in the stifling 
house, sacrificing the pleasure of home and friends, 
attempting to attract the attention of some wayfarer 
and to teach the name of Jesus; but he was usually 
rewarded by disheartening scoffs and reviling. Yet he 
would not give up, but believed in the power of the 
Gospel and in its ultimate victory; and 1 his reward 
came. Two months after the zayat was opened the first 
convert was baptized in a pool, oramented with a statue 
of Buddha. It seemed to be a prophecy of the future 
victory of Christ over Buddha. 

On December 22, 1819, Mr. Judson started on a visit 
to the new king, a grandson to the old king, who had 
died. Since people shunned him and even the converts, 
fearing persecution, rarely were seen, he had decided 
to seek royal favor. He took his translation of the Bible 
in six volumes, covered with gold leaf, as a present to 
the king, and having arrived at Armapura, he was put 
under charge of the prime minister, who introduced him 
to the king. The latter, taking one of Mr. Judson’s 


168 


ADONIRAM JUDSON , JR. 


tracts, and seeing its proclamation of the one great living 
God, threw it to the ground and walked away, leaving 
Judson despairing of being able to continue his mission 
at Rangoon. 

When he communicated his fears to the converts, the 
latter, to his surprise, seemed fearless, and confident 
in the success of the mission. They begged the mis¬ 
sionary to remain, saying that they knew of several 
inquiring after the “new religion.” He decided to 
remain, and was rewarded, for in July seven more mem¬ 
bers were added to the church, among them a native 
teacher of ability and influence. 

While Mr. Judson was busy translating more of the 
Bible, and preparing other religious books, his wife’s 
health began to fail, and it was decided to send her home 
to recuperate. Arriving in New York, September 25, 
1822, she did all she could to promote an interest in the 
cause of missions, attempting to induce others to devote 
their lives to the cause of Christ in Burmah. 

In 1821, Mr. Judson unexpectedly gained the king’s 
favor. On December 18, 1821, Rev. Jonathen Price, a 
medical missionary joined him at Rangoon, and was 
followed by Mr. and Mrs. Hough, who returned from 
Calcutta with their press. The emperor desired an inter¬ 
view with the doctor and Dr. Price, ignorant of Burman 
court rules, desired Mr. Judson to accompany him. The 
latter very reluctantly sacrificed his time and did so. 
For about four days the king took no notice of Judson, 
except as an interpreter; but after that time he inquired 
into his occupation and success, and then turned the 
conversation to other subjects. Pleased with his replies, 
the king asked him to remove to Ava, and gave him and 
Dr. Price a house and tract of land in that great city. 


ADONIRAM JUDSON, JR. 


169 

When, on December 5, 1823, Mrs. Judson returned 
.with Mr. and Mrs. Wade, Mr. Judson determined to 
accept the king’s invitation and remove to Ava. After 
a difficult journey of six weeks up the river, they arrived 
at their destination. Finding the newly built brick house 
too damp for Mrs. Judson, another house was built, and 
Mr. and M,rs. Judson at once began the work of instruc¬ 
tion. Mrs. Judson also began a school for girls, begin¬ 
ning with only three pupils, but the work progressed. 

On account of difficulties between the English and 
Burmah governments, war broke out and Rangoon was 
attacked by the English. Mr. Judson and his fellow 
missionaries were at once seized, handcuffed and thrown 
into prison. The executioners were ordered to dispatch 
the prisoners, but were frightened away by the bom¬ 
bardment of the town by the English. Mr. Hough, one 
of the imprisoned missionaries, proposed to go to the 
English and to ask them to withdraw. The proposal 
was accepted; Mr. Hough went and the English at once 
landed, drove off the inhabitants and released the 
prisoners. 

A few days later Mr. Judson was again arrested and 
cast into a deadly prison. Mrs. Judson, truly a heroine, 
buried his valuable translations and then appealed to 
the king and officers in behalf of her husband, and walked 
two miles every day to visit him. Finally her im¬ 
portunity prevailed, and he was allowed to remove to 
a healthier nearby house. During this time a daughter 
was born to the unfortunate man, which added some joy 
to these days of sadness. 

When it was reported that the Burman army had 
been defeated and that the English were advancing upon 
the capitol, all prisoners were ordered to be massacred; 


170 


ADONIRAM JUDSON, JR. 


but on Mrs. Judson’s account the governor had mercy 
and only removed them into the inner prison, out of 
sight, and loaded them with five pairs of fetters each. 
The heroine again repeatedly implored the governor to 
be merciful to her husband, and secured better quarters 
for him step by step, until he was again allowed to 
live with her in a house near by. Then the prisoners 
were suddenly driven to a prison in Oung-pen-la. The 
march was terrible. Mr. Judson had to march through 
the broiling sun, stripped of almost all his clothing, while 
the sharp stones mangled his bruised and bleeding bare 
feet. 

The next day Mrs. Judson’s adopted daughter, Mary, 
took small-pox. Then the little babe took it. Mrs. Jud¬ 
son’s health now also gave way, and the little baby no 
longer had proper nourishment. The jailor’s heart was 
touched and, as soon as Mr. Judson could stand upon 
his feet, he permitted him to help his wife; so he took 
the starving babe into his arms and, with the fetters 
upon his limbs, limped from house to house, begging 
milk for his babe. 

The war was now over, and Mr. Judson’s services 
as interpreter were in demand, so he was hurried to the 
Burman camp, burning with fever, and translated until 
he became temporarily demented, his senses left him. 
The treaty gave missionaries perfect liberty, and now 
Mr. Judson resumed his work. A commercial treaty 
was now to be made with Burma’s king, and the mis¬ 
sionary’s services as interpreter were again desired. Mr. 
Judson went, only because he thought to gain some 
advantage for his work, and he sent his pay of 5200 
rupees to the Board. 

During her husband’s absence, Mrs. Judson was 


KAPIOLANI 


171 

stricken down with fever. Though Mr. Judson was 
informed of her illness, it was not represented as serious, 
and his feelings may be imagined, when, on December 
21, 1826, he received a note announcing her death. 
Native Christian women performed the last offices of 
affection for her, and after her death she was laid to 
rest on the bank of the Salwen, at Amherst, under the 
shade of the hopia (hope) tree. Six months later the 
only little daughter died and was buried at her side. 

Mr. Judson, though heart broken at this loss of all 
that was dearest to him on earth, nerved himself anew 
to the fulfillment of his appointed ministry. He returned 
to Rangoon to revive the mission there and then applied 
himself to the translation of the Scriptures into Burmese, 
which task he completed on January 31, 1826. He con¬ 
tinued his labors until 1850. On the 12th of April he 
died on ship board, and his body was buried in the Bay 
of Bengal. “His work is his highest eulogy. His name 
shall be held in everlasting remembrance.” 


KAPIOLANI 

A Heroine of Faith and Courage 

The most famous and influential of all Hawaiian con¬ 
verts was the high chiefess Kapiolani, who, though by 
right of descent a ruler over a large district in Southern 
Hawaii, had, before her conversion, been an ignorant, 
drunken, debauched and superstitious savage. When, 
however, the message of God’s love touched her heart, 
she gave up her intemperate habits, dismissed all her 
husbands but the powerful national orator, Naihe, who 
promised to assist her in promoting the Christian religion, 
and became so ladylike in her deportment and so loving 



172 


ICAPIOLANI 


of disposition that she won the respect and admiration 
of all who knew her. 

The greatest act of her life was her defiance of the 
fire-gods of Kilauea and the consequent breaking of their 
despotic power. This event took place in the great 
crater of Kilauea, the famous volcano of Hawaii, a vast,, 
sunken pit about eight miles in circumference, lying 4400 
feet above the sea. Except in times of action, the steep 
precipice of the crater wall may be descended by a 
zig zag pathway and the bed of the crater can be crossed 
almost to the edge of the burning lake of seething 
molten lava. The impression made upon the spectator 
by this writhing, seething mass of boiling rock in the real 
“bottomless pit,” illumined by the lurid never dying 
flames arising from the bowels of the earth, is beyond 
the power of words to picture. Isabella Bird Bishop, 
after viewing the place, wrote, “I feel as if the terrors 
of Kilauea would haunt me all my life.” 

In the minds of the superstitious islanders, the vol¬ 
cano was inhabited by innumerable gods and goddesses, 
among whom the most potent was Pele, the goddess of 
fire. To her they erected a temple near the crater’s 
mouth and there priests and priestesses continually pre¬ 
sented to her costly propitiative offerings. Even long 
after the overthrow of idolatry, the superstitious fear of 
this fire goddess could not be entirely dispelled. 

In December, 1824, Kapiolani decided to free her 
people from the thraldom of this superstition by defying 
the fire-goddess in her own domains. Accordingly she 
set out on foot for the mission station at Hilo, intending 
to cross the mountain on which the crater lies, a difficult 
journey of one hundred miles over lava beds. The 
attempts of her dismayed friends to dissuade her proved 
futile. Even Naihe could not move her. Strong in faith, 


KAPIOLANI 


173 


she replied: “There is but one great God; he will keep 
me from all harm.” Thus finding her determined, eighty 
of her people decided to accompany her and share 
her fate. 

Again and again Kapiolani was stopped on the way 
by her frightened people, who pleaded with her not to 
destroy herself by risking Pele’s anger, but she heroically 
replied: “If I am destroyed, you may believe in Pele; 
but if I am not, then you must all turn to the true God.” 

Near the crater a priestess of Pele warned the chiefess 
that if she entered the sacred precincts of the volcano 
with a spirit of unbelief and opposition in her heart, 
she would surely perish. In answer to these terrible 
predictions, Kapiolani simply opened her Testament and 
taught the priestess of the true God in heaven. 

Along the crater grew flame colored ohelo berries 
sacred to Pele on account of their firey hue. They were 
very refreshing to travellers, but no Hawaiian dared 
to partake of them without first offering some to Pele. 
Kapiolani, however, now ate freely of them, without 
making the customary offering, though her companions 
dared not to do so. 

Then entering the crater, she walked across the hot 
lava beds trembling beneath her feet with steam issuing 
from every crevice. At the edge of the opening whence 
issued the ever burning flames, she, to test the ire of the 
supposed goodess to the utmost, gathered a handful of 
stones and deliberately cast them into the lake of fire. 

No one who is ignorant of the awful terrors with 
which pagan deities are clothed in the common mind, and 
of the tenacity with which these superstitions hold even 
professed converts, can appreciate the courage and faith 
evinced by this Hawaiian heroine. 


1/4 


JAMES KEKELA 


Turning to her terrified people, she said: “Jehovah 
is my God. He kindled these fires, I fear not Pele. The 
gods of Hawaii are vain. Great is the goodness of 
Jehovah in sending missionaries to turn us from these 
vanities to the living God.” 

Then, at her direction, the whole company knelt in 
prayer to the Heavenly Father above, and the great 
crater rang with the music of a Christian hymn, re¬ 
echoing above the roaring and crackling of the flames, 
and consecrating the fire palaces of Pele as a temple of 
the only true and living God. 

When the chiefess’ beautiful and fruitful life ended 
in May, 1841, she was deeply mourned not only by her 
people, whom she had not only commanded but much 
more served, but also by the missionaries, who realized 
in her a potent helper and faithful friend. 


JAMES KEKELA 

A Rescue from Cannibals 

The native Hawaiian missionary James Kekela was 
a man of deep piety and widespread influence. This was 
so well known and recognized that, in 1852, while a 
pastor of a church on the island of Oahu, he was asked 
to accompany several pioneer missionaries to Micronesia 
and assist them there in beginning a new mission. 

In 1853, shortly after his return to Oahu, a chief 
from the beautiful Marquesas Islands, which lay directly 
east of Peru in the Pacific Ocean, arrived at Hawaii and 
pleaded for teachers for his people. Though the Ha- 
waiians knew full well that the Marquesans were a race 
noted for cruelty and blood thirsty cannibalism, and 
that previous English and American missionaries, as well 



JAMES KEKELA 


175 

as native Christians from the Society Islands, who sought 
to bring them the Gospel, were each glad to escape from 
the islands with their lives, yet they received the call 
with great enthusiasm and responded promptly. Among 
the first who volunteered for this difficult work was 
Kekela, who resigned his pleasant pastorate on Oahu 
and, with his faithful wife Naomi, followed the Mar¬ 
quesas chief to his islands. 

For many years they labored, stationed at the village 
of Paumau, in a beautiful valley of the island of Hivaoa. 
Near their home, however, was located an immense heiau, 
or sacred place, where the most revolting rites are prac¬ 
ticed. There, on a paved platform, elevated by means 
of a series of great stone terraces, were held their canni¬ 
bal feasts and heathen dances. 

In 1864, there occurred at this heiau an event that 
revealed clearly the fierce character of the people and 
also the indomitable courage of the missionary Kekela. 
The United States whale ship Congress had stopped at 
Hivaoa to take on board some fresh supplies. The 
natives’ hatred had just before this been aroused against 
the white people by some Peruvian sailors, who stole 
and sold into slavery a number of Marquesan youths, 
so that the father of one of the stolen youths made a 
solemn vow to kill and eat the first white man caught 
on the island. Therefore, when Lieutenant Whalon of 
the Congress went ashore to purchase pigs, fowls and 
other such produce, he, suspecting no evil intention, 
allowed himself to be decoyed further and further from 
the shore until he was led into the woods out of sight 
of the vessel.. Then, suddenly, at a preconcerted signal, 
a band of savages rushed upon him, stripped him of his 
clothing, bound his hands and feet and carried him to 


176 


JAMES KEKELA 


the heiau to be slaughtered and eaten. The crew of the 
Congress was spared from a similar fate by a young 
servant of Kekela, who motioned them away, shouting, 
“Pull away! Pull away!’’ 

Arrived at the heiau, Whalon was surrounded by a 
great crowd of grinning savages, whose elaborately 
tatooed faces and hair tied in two bunches on the top 
of their head made them look more like demons than 
men. As they danced about their victim in fiendish 
glee, they tortured him frightfully, pulling his nose, 
stretching his ears, forcing his thumbs backwards and 
forwards, while they flourished their long knives and 
spears about his defenseless head. Everything was done, 
which the savage tormentors could devise, to harass the 
poor wretch. 

All night long the savages continued their horrible 
torture. Unfortunately Kekela was absent at the time. 
A German living on the island tried to rescue the victim 
but in vain; for the furious father who had previously 
vowed to kill the first white man captured, declared that 
he would not forego the pleasure of the revenge now 
in his grasp. Besides, white man’s flesh tasted too good 
to be given up so easily. On the following morning, 
however, Kekela returned and, on learning of the can¬ 
nibals’ capture, went at once to the heiau at the risk of 
his own safety, to plead for the lieutenant’s life. 

Though the savages were at first obstinate, some 
happened to remember that the missionary was possessed 
of a fine six-oared boat recently sent him from Boston. 
Perhaps they might here get possession of that! Would 
Kekela trade his new boat for the captive’s life? Yes, 
even that; although the much-prized vessel was almost 
indispensable to his work. 



LOVE JOY MONUMENT, ALTON, ILLINOIS 










f 































' - . 



























































JAMES KEKELA 


177 


Suddenly, when the transaction was about to be con¬ 
cluded, the chief of a hostile clan, who had often found 
it convenient to make trips in the boat with the mis¬ 
sionary, which would have to be foregone if the boat 
should find other hands, put in a dissenting voice, and 
positively refused the relinquishment of the boat. 

This deal thus being made impossible, the greedy 
cannibals finally decided to accept smaller articles in 
ransom—a gun and various other articles—and Mr. 
Whalon, weak from his terrible experience on the pre¬ 
vious night, was led to the friendly home of Kekela 
and to the kindly ministrations of the good Naomi. As 
soon as possible he was put on board the Congress, which 
was waiting far out at sea to learn his fate. 

When Abraham Lincoln, then president of the United 
States, heard the story, he sent Kekela guns, watches, 
a medal and other presents to the value of five hundred 
dollars, with a letter of congratulation and thanks for 
saving the life of a United States citizen. 

Kekela’s reply to the great man’s letter was written 
in simple and beautiful terms, and contained the follow¬ 
ing paragraph: 

“As to this friendly deed of mine in saving Mr. 
Whalon, its seed came from your great land and was 
brought by certain of your countrymen, who had received 
the love of God. It was planted in Hawaii, and I brought 
it to plant in this land, and in these dark regions, that 
they might receive the root of all that is good and true.” 

The world does not realize the debt she owes to 
foreign missions. Such an experience as that of Lieuten¬ 
ant Whalon make this more clear and gives us an insight 
into the missionaries’ true work and value. 


ION KIETH-FALCONER 

“Pioneer in Arabia” 

There was born in 1856 a Scotch nobleman, whose 
life, though short, made a profound impression upon the 
students of his day. As a boy, he was marked by con¬ 
spicuous qualities. Six feet and three inches in height, 
he seemed a modern Saul among his fellows; and this 
physical power and superiority gave him a preference 
for athletics. At twenty years he became president of 
the London Bicycle Club, and two years later he became 
world’s champion cyclist, by defeating John Keen, the 
world’s professional champion, in a five mile race. 

Not only was he physically strong; however, but his 
career is also marked by inward strength. He loved 
truth and sincerity; but had no patience with shams. 
He was an earnest student of the Bible and, obedient 
to his ever increasing knowledge of its true spirit, devoted 
much time to charitable acts. When but a boy of seven 
years he went about to the cottages of poor peasants, 
reading and, as best he could, explaining the Bible. On 
one occasion, he met a hungry boy in his walk and gave 
him a package of the baker’s choicest cakes, for which 
he had spent all his pocket money. 

Kieth-Falconer was also gifted with a fine intellect. 
While attending college, he mastered short-hand so 
thoroughly, that he fairly rivaled Pitman himself. His 
thorough understanding of the difficult art may be dis¬ 
cerned by reading his clear and comprehensive article 
on the subject in the Encyclopaedia Brittanica. Though 
he may not be called a genius, by “plodding” he won 
distinction, until his persevering labors were finally 
crowned by an appointment as professor of Arabic at 
Cambridge University. 


178 


ION KIETH-FALCONER 


1 79 


“The mission spirit burned in him,” even in the dis¬ 
couraging atmosphere of the university, and he fear¬ 
lessly avowed his Christian faith in the hope of winning 
others for his Savior. He became the leader of a band 
of students, who began a “ragged school” and evan¬ 
gelistic services in an old theater at Barnwell, near Cam¬ 
bridge. From among themselves and friends they raised 
eight thousand dollars to purchase the building, and 
began there a wide-reaching service, of which the 
harvest is not yet all garnered. Kieth-Falconer labored 
earnestly and vigorously and, though he did not speak 
in the flowery language of the orator, he pleaded in the 
clear, common sense manner, which was convincing of 
the truth. 

When fifteen years of age he became acquainted with 
F. W. Charrington, who had given up his great inherited 
share in a liquor saloon to work among his fallen fellow 
men in the east end of London. Despite the six years’ 
difference in their ages, a friendship similar to that be¬ 
tween David and Jonathan sprang up between them, so 
that while yet attending university, Kieth-Falconer often 
visited his friend in London and shared with him his 
labors, opposition and persecution. He went with him 
to the police office, when he was arrested on false 
charges, and, with him, also had his reward, in seeing 
drunkards reformed, gangs of thieves broken up, public 
houses deserted and homes redeemed from the curse of 
rum and crime. Soon he was appointed honorary 
secretary and, issuing the necessary appeals, became him¬ 
self a beggar for funds and a donor to the extent of ten 
thousand dollars. He did all his work as a humble 
layman, who did often speak in public; but had learned 
the secret of “having a talk with a man,” as Jesus spoke 


i8o 


ION KIETH-FALCONER 


to Nicodemus. Thus he would get in touch with one 
individual soul, and find the secret key that unlocked 
the heart. 

Still the zealous and energetic young man was not 
satisfied with his accomplishments. After passing his 
examination at Cambridge in 1880, Kieth-Falconer con¬ 
centrated his mind upon the study of Arabic and the 
Koran. After he had gained what preparatory knowledge 
he could from books, he sailed for the Nile, and, resid¬ 
ing at Assiout for some months with the well known 
missionary, Dr. H. W. Hogg, studied the language and 
character of the Arabians and the Moslem faith. 

Returning home again, he for three years continued 
his research, meanwhile filling the post of Hebrew Lec¬ 
turer at Clare College. At this time he married a charm¬ 
ing young woman, Miss Bevan, a fit companion for her 
zealous and devoted husband. 

His eyes were opened to the possibilities of a mis¬ 
sionary career by the life of Dr. John Wilson of Bombay, 
and about the same time General Haig called his 
attention to the neglected field of Arabia, and to the 
importance of Aden, on the Red Sea, as a mission sta¬ 
tion, thus determining him to visit that place. 

In 1855, Kieth-Falconer had an interview with General 
Haig, and then went to Aden to prospect. As a result 
he determined to settle at Sheikh-Othman nearby. While 
exploring the neighborhood, he preached to the natives 
and personally proved to them that all Europeans are 
not “clever people, who get drunk and have no religion 
to speak of.” 

Returning to England in the spring of 1886, on 
Easter Day, Kieth-Falconer delivered the most striking 
address of his life in the Assembly Hall at Mile End. 


ION KIETH-FALCONER 181 

As his subject he had chosen “Temptation/” and, in the 
address seemed to be reflected the inward struggle he 
was then experiencing, as he neared the parting ways, 
where nobility, wealth and distinction were on one side, 
and seclusion, self denial and obscurity on the other. 

At this juncture, to his great surprise, he was 
appointed Professor of Arabic at Cambridge. Since this 
position was partly honorary, however, and was not 
binding, it was accepted. Then, after a course of lec¬ 
tures on “The Pilgrimage to Mecca/” he was again off 
for Aden, with his wife and accomplished colleague, 
Dr. Stewart Cowen. 

“This was November 1886. He laid the foundation 
for his mission premises and work, and the force of his 
character was already making an impression on the 
Moslem mind, so that, within a few months, there were 
but few who came in touch with this Christlike man, 
who were willing to admit that they were followers of 
Mohammed; but they were wont to say, ‘There are no 
Moslems here!’ The Gospel in Arabic found both pur¬ 
chasers and readers with those who had read in this 
grand man the living epistle of God.” 

The Aden fever, however, proved an obstacle too 
great for even the indomitable will of Kieth-Falconer. 
Both he and his wife were stricken in February, 1887, 
and fresh, continued attacks rapidly weakened his stal¬ 
wart constitution. While in this condition, he exclaimed, 
“How I wish that each attack of fever had brought me 
nearer to Christ—nearer, nearer, nearer.” His wish was 
granted when, on the morning of May 10, 1887, Christ 
called him to himself and to his heavenly reward. 

“After five months of labor in his chosen field, the 
body of Kieth-Falconer was lovingly laid to rest in the 


182 


JOHN LUDWIG KRAPF 


cemetery at Aden by British officers of her majesty— 
fitting burial for one of the soldiers of a greater King, 
who, with his armor on and his courage undaunted, fell 
with his face to the foe. The martyr of Aden had 
entered God’s Eden.” 

Though Kieth-Falconer was the son of the Earl of 
Kintore, a Scotch nobleman of great power and distinc¬ 
tion, he ever retained a childlike simplicity in his relation 
to God and to his fellow men. With an unselfishness 
that characterized and directed his entire life, he denied 
himself the luxuries which he rightfully inherited and, 
as was his wont, chose that task, which he saw was 
most difficult—the conversion of the Arabian Moham¬ 
medans. Though, on account of his premature death, 
he did not live to see the great results of his labors, still 
his tombstone was the first milestone which has since 
directed a host of missionaries to that great country, 
for the good of which he so lovingly gave his life. 


JOHN LUDWIG KRAPF 

A Modern Elijah 

Though the feeding of Elijah by the ravens at the 
brook of Cherith happened long ago, indeed, before the 
birth of Christ, still the same God lives today, and 
watches over his children here below in practically the 
same way, as was manifested by the remarkable preserva¬ 
tion of Krapf, the great missionary explorer, as he was 
on one of his journeys in Eastern Africa. 

Kivoi, the chief with whom Krapf was making the 
journey, had indifferently neglected his promise to supply 
his party with provisions, so that for a whole day the 
party had had nothing to eat but bananas and were get- 



JOHN LUDWIG KRAPF 


183 


ting hungry as they wended their way up and down hill 
and along brooks and through tangled jungles. Suddenly, 
while seated beside one of these brooks, Krapf noticed 
a number of vultures flying up and down. His servant, 
hurrying to the spot thus indicated, found a great 
piece of fallow deer, which had apparently been siezed 
and partly devoured that morning by a lion. Thankfully 
having enjoyed the vension, they continued on their 
journey. 

On the following day, however, a band of robbers 
frightened Krapf’s servants into throwing away all his 
belongings, and consequently he was left without a 
guide, food and without a knowledge of the water sta¬ 
tions. The reminiscence of how God had provided for 
him on the day before, however, strengthened him and 
he started in search of water, of which, having had no 
drink all day, he was now in great need. 

Knowing that the Dana River could not be far away 
and seeing some tall trees in the distance, Krapf con¬ 
jectured that they must be on the banks of that river, 
and wended his way towards them. Soon he struck 
a trodden pathway, which led him to the river. 

“Praise and thanks be to God/’ he exclaimed; “and 
now I can slake my thirst and have water in plenty for 
my journey!” 

After having thoroughly satisfied his thirst, the mis¬ 
sionary, wanting better water bottles, filled his leather 
telescope case and the barrels of his gun, which was 
now useless to him, since he had accidentally shot away 
the ramrod. The mouths of the gun he stopped up with 
grass and bits of cloth cut from his trousers. 

As nightfall was now coming on, he proceeded on his 
journey, tumbling into little pits and over stones and 


JOHN LUDWIG KRAPF 


184 

trunks of trees, and impeded by thorns and tall grass. 
He became so weary that he once determined to lie 
down and sleep, regardless of the consequences, though 
he knew that there were very many wild beasts in the 
neighborhood of the Dana. But believing that no man 
should despair in any situation, but do his utmost 
towards self-preservation and trust in God as to the 
issue, he trudged onward until, at about midnight, he 
came to a mountain which he had noticed previously in 
the course of his journey, and believing to be on the 
right trail, he lay down to sleep, too tired to stand 
longer. 

He awakened a few hours later to feel again the 
pangs of hunger and thirst. The water gathered in his 
telescope case and gun had been partly drunk and the 
rest lost. To somewhat satisfy his hunger, he tried to 
chew leaves and roots and, when day dawned, to break 
his fast on ants. The roar of a lion was music to his 
ears, since he still remembered his previous meal pro¬ 
vided by that animal. He no longer feared any wild 
animal. When he again proceeded on his journey, he 
came upon four immense rhinoceri feeding behind some 
bushes ahead. They started at him, but did not move, 
and Krapf passed on unharmed and also unfrightened. 

Coming upon a sand-pit with a moist surface, he dug 
eagerly in the sand for the precious fluid to relieve his 
parching mouth and throat, but was disappointed. He 
put some of the moist sand into his mouth, but this only 
increased his thirst. About ten o’clock he began to 
descend the mountain and reached the dry, sandy bed 
of a river, where he heard the chatterings of monkeys. 

What a glad leap his heart gave at that welcome 
sound, indicative of water! Knowing that monkeys 


WILLIAM KNIBB 


185 


only appeared in a low place when water was to be 
found there, he followed the course of the bed until he 
came upon a pool of the precious liquid and, again 
thanking God for his goodness, quenched his thirst and 
filled his powder horn, telescope case and gun barrels. 

One month later he reached his hut in Rabbai Mpia, 
very tired and worn out. His friends, who had given him 
up as dead, received him with joy proportioned to their 
astonishment, thankful for his truly wonderful and 
providential deliverance. 


WILLIAM KNIBB 

Missionary to Jamaica 

When the island of Jamaica was ceded to Great 
Britain by the treaty of Madrid in 1670, the place of the 
native Indians was taken by slaves imported from 
Africa by Spaniards. During the eighteenth century 
over half a million were brought over to suffer the 
curse of slavery. 

When the poverty, wretchedness and degradation of 
these poor slaves became known in Great Britain the 
popular heart of the Engilsh freemen demanded their 
liberation from bondage. On August 1, 1834, the eman¬ 
cipation of the slaves began to take effect in the freedom 
of their children, but the midnight of July 31, 1838, was 
to usher in the complete liberation of all the slaves. 

On that memorable night fourteen thousand adults 
and five thousand children led by their missionaries, 
William Knibb and James Philippo, joined in praise and 
prayer to God as they waited and watched for the hour 
which was to terminate the life of slavery in Jamaica. 

At the close of that season of prayer and in immediate 
connection therewith occurred a novel and remarkable 



WILLIAM KNIBB 


186 

funeral service which stands unique in human his¬ 
tory because it memorialized a death and burial that 
occasioned universal joy instead of sorrow to human 
hearts. 

A large mahogany coffin had been made, polished and 
fitted by slave cabinet makers, and a deep grave had 
been dug. 

Into the coffin the colored people crowded all the 
various relics and remnants of their bondage and sorrow. 
The rawhides, the whips, the torture irons, the branding 
irons, the coarse frocks, the ragged shirts, the great hat, 
fragments of the treadmill, the hand cuffs—whatever 
was in any way the sign and badge of seventy-eight 
years of thralldom, they put in that coffin and screwed 
down the lid tight. 

Then, as the bell began to toll, announcing the mid¬ 
night hour, missionary Knibb, speaking in a powerful 
and ringing voice, declared: 

“The monster is dying, is dying, is dying,” and as 
the last stroke sounded from the belfry: “The monster 
is dead! Let us bury him out of sight forever!” Then 
in the presence of that throng of thousands celebrating 
their redemption from bondage the coffin was lowered 
into its grave and the gratitude of joyful hearts found 
triumphant expression in singing the doxology. 

Thus these liberated slaves took sweet vengeance on 
their former masters, not by violence and murder, but 
by burying the remnants and the recollections of their 
wrongs endured in the grave of eternal oblivion. That 
was Christian magnanimity in accordance with the for¬ 
giving love of the dying Savior who prayed: “Father, 
forgive them for they know not what they do.” 


WALTER LAWRY 

Heroic Missionary on the Tonga Islands 

When the enthusiastic missionary, Walter Lawry, 
touched the land of the deceitful Tonguese, he requested 
the chiefs of the island to meet him and after they and 
their vast crowd of followers had drawn a circle around 
the undaunted missionary, he told them why he had 
come and asked them whether they were willing to be 
taught the religion of Jesus. 

“Yes,” they said. “We will treat you well. We will 
send thousands of our children to your school.” 

This heroic missionary had been a Wesleyan preacher 
in New South Wales, but after he had heard from Mrs. 
Shelley, a widow of a Tonguese missionary, of the mas¬ 
sacre of some and the expulsion of others of the first 
men of God in Tonga, his heart had burned with a 
desire to fill their place. Twenty-two years after the 
enforced departure of the first missionaries he, with his 
brave wife and some assistants, landed at Tonga. 

True to their promise, the chiefs made Mr. Lawry 
presents, after the custom of their country, while the 
principal chief begged him to build a mission house 
near his abode. 

This bright beginning, however, did not last; for 
these fickle people, after a few months, changed their 
attitude towards him. Soon talk, first covert and then 
open, was heard against him. Said one chief: 

“See, these people are always praying to their gods 
as the other missionaries were, and what was the con¬ 
sequence of their praying? Why, the war broke out 
and all our old chiefs were killed.” 

Another professed to have had a dream, in which 
the angry spirit of a deceased chief had remonstrated 

187 


i88 


WALTER LAWRY 


with him for harboring the dangerous missionaries, say¬ 
ing, “The Papalangi will pray you all dead.” 

These fiery speeches soon spread among the people, 
moving them to abuse the missionary, to rob him of his 
goods and to threaten him openly with death, shouting: 

“Make ready! Let us put an end to this Papalangi.” 

For several months Mr. Lawry bore their ill treat¬ 
ment with patience, knowing that the fate of those men 
“whose graves were before his eyes,” might become his 
at any hour. After fourteen months of this perilous 
life, Mrs. Lawry’s health failed and made it necessary 
for her to leave Tonga; so our patient missionary also 
left and returned to New South Wales. When he was 
stepping from the ungrateful shore of these deceitful 
people into his own little boat, one of the chiefs said 
to him with seeming sincerity: 

“We thank you for your visit. We hope you will 
soon come back.” 

The missionary carried away with him the impres¬ 
sion that these natives, though less ferocious than those 
of Fiji, were vile people, living “in islands of peerless 
loveliness.” Still he pitied them and, though the pros¬ 
pect of their conversion was most discouraging, he so 
represented their case that, in 1826, two other Wesleyan 
missionaries, Thomas and Hutchinson, landed at Tonga. 
Again the chiefs professed to be friendly towards the 
missionaries, but these poor men soon found that it was 
not them, but their property, that the savages wanted. 
Soon they, too, were insulted, robbed and threatened 
with death. 

In this extremity, when they had already asked for 
a ship to take them away from amongst these treacher¬ 
ous savages, they were surprised and comforted by a 


DAVID LIVINGSTONE 


189 

re-enforcement in Turner, Weiss and Cross. Under this 
strong missionary force the tide soon began to turn. 
Some natives were brought to Jesus in Nukualofa, 
where two Christian natives from Tahiti on their way 
to Fiji had stopped to teach the people. The natives 
became interested and would walk a distance of twelve 
miles to hear the missionaries preach in their own 
tongue, either directly or through an interpreter. Some¬ 
what later the king himself and his household were 
baptized and the islanders asked to follow Jesus. In six 
years subsequent to Mr. Thomas’ arrival over 8000 
heathens had become Christian people. Today the 
Tonga Islanders are no longer heathens, but Christians. 
Glory to God! 


DAVID LIVINGSTONE 

Prince of African Explorers and Missionaries 

On the 19th of March, 1813, was born a boy destined 
to gain world-wide fame, to open up a continent and 
to become one of the foremost heroes of the cross of 
Christ. David Livingstone, descended from a family 
famous for its integrity and honesty, added only glory 
to that name. From his father he inherited that strict 
sense of honor which has made him famous, and from 
his mother that warmth of feeling and sympathy, which 
enabled him to win the hearts of the African savages. 

In his youth David worked in a cotton mill and there 
learned that love and respect for labor, which gained 
for him the love of his “honest, poor” countrymen. His 
thirst for knowledge early asserted itself in his taking 
a book to the factory, tying it to his spinning jenny and 
snatching a sentence or two whenever he had time. 



DAVID LIVINGSTONE 


190 

Although his studying had to be done in this handicapped 
manner, at the age of sixteen he was master of Virgil 
and Horace. 

At twenty years of age a change came into his life 
through his conversion. From works of Thomas Dick 
he gathered that religion and science were friendly to 
one another; and missionary biography, especially that 
of Chas. Gutzlaff, a medical missionary to China, deter¬ 
mined his life’s work. He got a medical education and 
was accepted by the London Missionary Society. It was 
his wish to go to China; but Providence willed other¬ 
wise. The opium war shut that country for him, and, 
through the pleading of Robert Moffat for the cause of 
Africa, he was induced to go to that continent. 

He was ordained in 1840, and after spending a day 
at his home, where he saw his aged father for the last 
time, he sailed for the Dark Continent. Landing at 
Cape Town, he traveled north seven hundred miles to 
Mr. Moffat’s station at Kuruman. Until he received an 
appointment from his Missionary Society he traveled 
from tribe to tribe, preaching the Gospel and healing the 
sick. His medical skill surprised them greatly. They 
thought him a wizard able to raise the dead—in fact, 
omnipotent. These travels were not unattended by dan¬ 
ger. On one occasion his party was attacked by a lion 
and only Mr. Livingstone’s revolver drove him off, at the 
expense of a broken finger to the rescurer. 

After receiving his appointment he toiled for four 
years alone among the savages. These gradually be¬ 
came attached to him, so that, once, as a lion rushed 
from a bush, which Livingstone was passing and bit him 
in the left shoulder, a native threw himself before the 
beast, attracting its attention and thus drawing it upon 


DAVID LIVINGSTONE 


191 

himself, almost at the cost of his own life. Both men 
were badly wounded, Livingstone suffering a compound 
fracture of the left arm. 

Until this time he had not thought of marriage; but 
now, meeting Dr. Moffat's daughter, Mary, he fell in love 
with her and married her in 1844. Their first year was 
spent at Mabotsa; then on to Chonuane, forty miles 
north. Everywhere Livingstone was fearless and bold 
in doing what he considered his duty. Ofttimes did j 
he tread paths infested by ferocious beasts and untamed 1 
savages to relieve some suffering brother man. 
After a time he and his wife went north to Kolobeng. 
When this place became uninhabitable on account of 
drouth, he pushed further north and discovered 
Lake N’gami in 1849. He now learned of the 
horrible slave trade in Africa and determined to give his 
life to abolish it, if necessary. He formed a plan to open 
up a path across the continent for lawful commerce to 
be carried on with the civilized countries, which would 
then overshadow, and thus put down, the awful slave 
trade. 

On April 23, 1852, Mrs. Livingstone and the four 
children sailed for England, while Livingstone began to 
carry out his self-imposed task. He well knew the 
dangers, and therefore wrote his will before starting out. 
Then, alone, without scrip or purse, he traveled among 
the hostile and suspicious savages, with chicken-hearted 
guides, who were only too ready to turn back. Part of 
the country was flooded, so that they had to wade all 
day, at times forcing their way through sharp reeds and 
coming out with hands, knees and face cut and bleeding. 
Every night they slept on the damp ground, infested 
with insects, in many cases, and always pernicious to 


192 


DAVID LIVINGSTONE 


their health. On the way Livingstone preached diligently, 
in the winning manner peculiar to himeslf, and won the 
confidence of many of the chiefs. 

After seven months of toil, and after he had endured 
thirty attacks of fever, Livingstone reached Loanda, on 
the western coast. He was hospitably received by the 
Portugese and British officers there and after being 
strengthened by proper food and attention, he started 
back with his natives, contrary to the entreaties of his 
newly made friends, who desired him to take passage on 
a ship about to sail for England. He had promised the 
natives that he would return with them, and he kept his 
word, though promised to only a savage, and though 
it involved two thousand miles of difficult travel through 
jungles, swamps and desert. Still, he sent some notes 
and dispatches on the ship, which however, sank and 
all on board but one were lost. It was unmistakably 
the providence of God that saved Livingstone from shar¬ 
ing this fate. 

When he had reached Linyanti, he set out on a six 
months’ march, through dangers equal to those just 
escaped, to Quilimane, on the western coast. On the 
way he preached and healed the sick, as the Savior had 
done before him. Healthy longtitudinal ridges were dis¬ 
covered, and he also viewed the glorious Victoria Falls, 
before any other European. At the shore he was 
received kindly and embarked for England, sixteen years 
after his arrival in Africa. 

Landing in England on the 9th of December, 1856, 
he found himself almost the most famous man in Eng¬ 
land. Honors enough to turn an ordinary man’s head 
were showered upon him ,and still he remained the 
“same honest, true-hearted David Livingstone.” Besides 


DAVID LIVINGSTONE 


193 


splendid receptions given by the Royal and London 
Missionary Societies, he was given the freedom of Lon¬ 
don and of the Scotch cities, and made numerous 
addresses in prominent places. Despite these exciting 
events, he was busy on his book, Missionary Travels, 
the net proceeds of which he gratefully dedicated to the 
cause of opening Africa. 

After a visit of sixteen months he returned to Africa S 
as the queen’s consul, commanding an exploring party 
sent out to find the sources of the Nile. In 1856, he 
explored the Zambesi; in ’59 the Shire; in ’60 he dis¬ 
covered Lake Nyassa; in ’61 he explored the Rovuma. 
Here he saw the horrors of the slave trade in their 
worst forms, and letters describing the same thrilled the ^ 
civilized world. 

In 1859, Mrs. Livingstone returned to Scotland, 
placed the children in a school and in 1862 rejoined her 
husband; but, in less than six months after her return, 
her health gave way and he laid her under a baobab 
tree to her everlasting rest, weeping like a child. But 
even broken-hearted grief must not hinder him from 
doing his duty. “He must penetrate to the fountains 
of the Nile.” 

In 1864, he returned to London to expose the slave 
trade and to obtain means to open up a mission above 
the Portugese lines. On the 1st of August he was 
with his mother and children at Hamilton. Only the 
eldest boy, Robert, was missing. He had enlisted in the 
Federal army in America, had been wounded and died, 
and now lay buried in the National Cemetery at Gettys¬ 
burg. He had died for the liberty of the black man 
in America, while his father was giving his life for the 
same cause in the Dark Continent. 


194 


DAVID LIVINGSTONE 


Though Livingstone was everywhere received with 
the highest honors, he returned to Africa after a few 
months, in 1866, ascended the Rovuma, disappeared for 
three years, and visited Lakes Meroe and Tanganyika. 
Here he preached the name of Jesus to tens of thou¬ 
sands of savages, degraded by the slave trade. Near 
the sources of the Nile Portugese slave dealers, his direct 
enemies, doing all in their power to hinder him, de¬ 
stroyed his letters and stole the supplies sent him. 

In 1871, his strength failed, his teeth came out, his 
feet became ulcerated and, as he lay in a hut, unable 
to proceed, he read his Bible through four times. Finally, 
when he became able, he went back to Ujiji for supplies 
only to find that they were stolen again. 

As the world had not heard from him for years, Mr. 
Bennett, an admirer of the brave explorer, believing him 
still alive, sent Stanley to find him, saying: “Take what 
money you want, but find Livingstone.” The heroic 
Mr. Stanley, determined to reach him, went through 
incredible difficulties and at last reached Ujiji soon after 
the arrival of the person sought. Then, in the. heart of 
Africa, these two great men met each other in a simple, 
respectful manner, thanking God for his mercy in grant¬ 
ing this meeting. After a few months, when Stanley 
had supplied the great explorer's needs, they parted; 
Stanley turning towards England and Livingstone 
towards the watershed of Africa. Though Stanley plead 
with him to return to England, and pictured to him the 
dangers of remaining and the joy of his friends upon 
his return, Livingstone remained implacable. His task 
was yet not quite completed. 

Weary months of travel, of planning, of trial and 
hardship followed, until on the last of April, 1873, Living- 


DAVID LIVINGSTONE 


195 


stone and his party reached Ilala, on the southern end 
of Lake Bangweolo. He had made his observations, 
written his journal, drawn his maps and given his 
orders. Though his spirit still struggled to finish his 
work, his body was in the grasp of one of Africa’s 
deadly diseases, and on the first day of May, 1873, at 
4:00 o’clock a. m., his attendants found him kneeling 
at the bedside with his head buried in his hands upon 
the pillow. “The sad, yet not unexpected truth soon 
became evident; he had passed away, after commending 
his spirit, his dear ones and his own dear Africa to the 
Avenger of the oppressed and the Redeemer of the lost.” 

His native attendants, who had become greatly 
attached to him, buried his heart at the place of his 
death, then dried his body in the sun, carefully wrapped 
it in cloths and carried it for nine months until they 
reached civilization—a journey made difficult by ex¬ 
posures, sickness and the superstitious opposition of 
hostile tribes, who would not let a corpse pass through 
their country. From the coast it was sent to England 
and was there buried in Westminster Abbey. 

The influence of his life was not lost. England took 
up the work where Livingstone was compelled to leave 
it and, through negotiations with the Sultan of Zanzibar, 
made the traffic in slaves, both by land and by sea, illegal. 
His other wish is now also fulfilled. The European has 
come and is spreading his belief and is introducing his 
civilization. 


ELIJAH PARISH LOVEJOY 

The First American Martyr to the Freedom of 
the Press and the Freedom of the Slave 

At the cemetery in the city of Alton, Illinois, on a 
beautiful elevation affording a commending view from 
passing trains and plying steamers of the great Father 
of Waters, the Mississippi, stands the magnificent and 
imposing Lovejoy monument. This memorial structure 
is a massive granite column, 93 feet high, surmounted 
by a bronze statue of Victory, 17 feet high, weighing 
8700 pounds. This shaft, built of light Barre granite, 
in three sections, weighing together fifty six tons, is 
one of the largest columns in this country. It stands 
in the center of a terrace 40 feet in diameter, surrounded 
on three sides by a granite exedra wall eight feet high. 
The terrace is floored with six inch granite flagging and 
is reached by seven granite steps. Two large granite 
pedestals, surmounted by granite standard bronze tripods, 
finish the exedra walls. By the steps are two granite 
sentinel columns thirty feet high, surmounted by bronze 
eagles eight feet over the wings. 

On each of the four sides of the die is a bronze panel 
with historic inscriptions representing Lovejoy, by 
quotations from his own writings, in the threefold 
capacity of editor, minister of the Gospel and opponent 
to slavery. 

This splendid monument, erected by the State of 
Illinois and the citizens of Alton, A. D., 1897, at a cost 
of thirty thousand dollars, commemorates in loving 
recognition the immortal name and career of Elijah 
Parish Lovejoy, born at Albion, Maine, November 8, 
1802, and assassinated at Alton, Illinois, November 7, 
1837. 


196 


ELIJAH PARISH LOVEJOY 


19 7 


Though not distinguished either in war or states¬ 
manship, Lovejoy was a foremost figure in that long 
and desperate struggle, beginning in peace and ending 
in war, which swept human slavery from American soil. 
In the irrepressible conflict for the freedom of the press 
and the freedom of the slave he occupied a heroic and 
a unique position which immortalizes his name and his 
record. He was the first man who dared to publish an 
anti-slavery paper in a slave state and the last and 
only man who lost his life for publishing an anti-slavery 
journal in a free state. 

Lovejoy was the son of a Congregational minister, a 
graduate of Waterville College and an honored student 
from the Theological Seminary of Princeton, N. J. He 
was a man of heart and brain, a noble character of rare 
piety and devout loyalty to Jesus Christ. Though a bold 
and an uncompromising antagonist of slavery, yet he 
was decidedly a messenger of peace. His avowed hatred 
for slavery did not include the slave holders nor the slave 
states as such. In his opinion slavery was not a sec¬ 
tional, but a national sin in which the United States 
government as a whole was at fault, and upon this basis 
he advocated a peaceful and a gradual emancipation of 
the slaves by their masters voluntairly and that the loss 
thus sustained should be paid by the government. This 
opinion he expressed clearly and fearlessly in the 
editorials of his paper, The Observer, first established 
in St. Louis, Mo. in 1833, and which he continued later, 
up to the time of his tragic death, in 1837, at Alton, 
Illinois. 

But the time for even such a moderate doctrine of 
emancipation had not yet come, and intense feeling was 
aroused against the editor of the Observer. The less 


ELIJAH PARISH LOVE JOY 


198 

reputable classes called for violent measures of suppres¬ 
sion. Even friends and supporters of the paper advised 
Lovejoy, as a matter of safe policy, for a time at least, 
to remain silent on the precarious subject of slavery. 

Had Lovejoy been a self-seeking man of policy and 
not of principle, he would have yielded to the council 
of his cowardly advisers. Personally he was not 
responsible for the sin of human slavery. He was but 
one man among millions of the nation. He had his 
home and his family to care for, and by abandoning this 
contest and pursuing the more popular course of public 
journalism, he might have lived in comfort and in pleas¬ 
ing harmony with his fellow men. Why should he seek 
to disturb the existing order concerning slavery? Why 
should he sacrifice his peace of life and his hope of 
success, by standing out boldly against overwhelming 
odds and thus expose himself and his family to social 
ostracism, financial ruin and even mob violence? 

But for the heroic Lovejoy there was but one course 
to pursue, and his bold replies to all opposition stand 
recorded in the immortal declarations inscribed on the 
monument that perpetuates his memory. As did the 
great Reformer Luther in his day, so did Lovejoy dare 
to face danger and stand by his convictions. Read his 
declarations: 

“I have sworn eternal opposition to slavery, and by 
the blessing of God I will never go back.” 

“But, gentlemen, as long as I am an American 
citizen, and as long as American blood runs in these 
veins, I shall hold myself at liberty to speak, to write, 
to publish whatever I please on any subject—being 
amenable to the laws of my country for the same.” 

“If the laws of my country fail to protect me, I appeal 


ELIJAH PARISH LOVEJOY 


199 


to God, and with him I cheerfully rest my cause. I can 
die at my post, but I can not desert it.” 

Lovejoy never deserted his cause or his principles, 
but his loyalty to truth and righteousness cost him his 
life and he died at his post of duty. Though he, as a 
faithful minister of the Gospel and as moderator of his 
Presbytery was a man of high honor, and though his 
paper the Observer was a religious journal of pure gospel 
sentiment and was recognized as the organ of the great 
Presbyterian Church, yet the diabolic hatred against this 
man of God and his journal wreaked maddened ven¬ 
geance and sought his destruction. 

His first press in St. Louis having been destroyed by 
violence, he sought a more congenial location in a free 
state by removal to Alton, Illinois, whence the mob from 
St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri, pursued and pros¬ 
ecuted him with the result that his second, his third 
and even his fourth presses were destroyed and thrown 
into the Mississippi River. It was at the instance of the 
destruction of his fourth and last press, when assailed 
by a mob on the night of November 7, 1837, that Love¬ 
joy was shot and fell as the first American Martyr to the 
freedom of the press and the freedom of the slave. 

Thus the noble and heroic Lovejoy sealed his gospel 
of liberty with his own blood. But “the blood of martyrs 
is the seed of the Church.” God buries his workmen, 
but he carries on his work.” The death of Lovejoy 
wrought a crisis by repudiating forever the idea of 
gradual emancipation and by concentrating and intensify¬ 
ing, as never before, the anti-slavery sentiment, making 
it strong, united and aggressive. The olive branch of 
peace was now forever buried in the grave of the heroic 
martyr, and from the hour of Lovejoy’s death there never 


200 


MARTIN LUTHER 


could be any more re-conciliation or compromise between 
the slavery and abolition forces and the strife went on 
from bad to worse until it culminated in the great civil 
war which settled the slavery question forever in 
America. 

Thus slavery was abolished, not by gradual emanci¬ 
pation, as Lovejoy would have had it go, but by fire 
and sword, at a cost, in money alone, which would have 
bought every human chattel at the highest market price, 
and have furnished him with a small capital to begin 
life anew as his own master. Long live the memory of 
Lovejoy, and may Christ’s Gospel of liberty continue 
to breath into our nation the breath of a purer and a 
broader national life. 


v MARTIN LUTHER 

The Great Reformer 

Among the great Protestant reformers of the six¬ 
teenth century Martin Luther ranks as a star of superior 
magnitude. He was born at Eisleben, November 10, 
1483, of humble, but pious parentage, impressing him 
both by inheritance and youthful training with moral 
earnestness and downright honesty. After preparatory 
training in the schools of Mansfield, Magdeburg and 
Eisleben, he entered the University of Erfurt, took the 
bachelor’s degree in 1502, and the master’s degree in 
1505. He was set apart by his parents for the career 
of a lawyer. But terrible fears now began to oppress 
his mind. The death of a dear friend impressed him 
seriously, and inward anxiety, which would not be 
quieted, induced him to form the sudden resolution of 
becoming a monk. Terrified by a storm, he entered the 



MARTIN LUTHER 


201 


Augustine Convent at Erfurt, in 1505 and two years later 
he was ordained priest. He was zealous in the practice 
of the monastic rules, and no less so in the study of 
theology, but the conflict going on in his own soul, and 
the doubts of his own salvation, pious exercises failed 
to put to rest. In his soul struggle for liberty, he finally 
immersed himself in the study of the Holy Scripture until 
God’s truth re-echoed within his consciousness saying: 
“The just shall live by faith.” Then he was at peace 
with his Maker and received the witness of the Spirit 
as the seal of his sonship with God. 

The year after his ordination to the priesthood he 
became a teacher in the University at Wittenberg. In 
1509 he became a bachelor of theology, and commenced 
lecturing on the Holy Scripture. His lectures were in¬ 
spiring, and the novelty of his views already began to 
excite attention. Besides lecturing he began to preach 
and the sermons reached a greater audience, and pro¬ 
duced a more powerful influence. In 1510 he was sent 
on a mission to Rome and underwent some remarkable 
experiences. On Luther’s return from Rome he was 
made a Doctor of the Holy Scripture, and his eventful 
career as a reformer may be said to have commenced. 

Money was largely needed at Rome to feed the 
extravagences of the papal court; and its numerous 
emissaries sought everywhere to raise funds by the sale 
of “indulgences,” as they were called for the sins of 
humanity. The principal of these emissaries was John 
Tetzel, under the commission of the Archbishop of Mainz. 
Luther’s indignation at the shameless traffic which this 
man carried on finally became irrepressible. He warned 
against the abuse of indulgences at the confession and 
from the pulpit. He embodied his opposition in letters 


202 


MARTIN LUTHER 


to the magnates of the church, and drew out ninety-five 
theses on the doctrine of indulgences, which, on October 
31, 1517, he nailed up on the door of the Castle Church 
at Wittenburg. The general purport of these theses was 
to deny to the Pope all right to forgive sins. 

This bold step of Luther awakened a widespread 
excitement. Tetzel fled from the borders of Saxony to 
Frankfort, on the Oder, where he drew out and published 
a set of counter theses, and publicly committed those 
of Luther to the flames. Luther received a summons 
from Pope Leo X. to appear at Rome and to answer for 
his theses. His university and the elector interfered, and 
a legate was sent to Germany to hear and determine the 
case. The papal bull was issued against Luther; the 
dread document was burned before an assembled mul¬ 
titude of doctors, students, and citizens at the Elster 
Gate of Wittenberg. Germany was convulsed with 
excitement. The Diet of Worms met in the beginning of 
1521; an order was issued for the destruction of Luther’s 
book, and Luther himself was summoned to appear 
before the princes of the empire assembled in the Diet 
at Worms. Luther was cautioned not to go; but he 
answered: “Though there be as many devils in Worms 
as there are tiles on the roofs of the houses yet would 
I enter, and though there be a fire burning from Witten¬ 
berg to Worms, yet would I go.” Luther went and 
before the Diet at Worms he refused to recant, saying: 
“I shall not be convinced, except by the testimony of 
the Scriptures, or plain reason; for I believe neither the 
Pope nor councils alone, as it is manifested that they 
have often erred and contradicted themselves. I am not 
able to recall, nor do I wish to recall anything; for it is 
neither safe nor honest to do anything against conscience. 


MARTIN LUTHER 


203 


Here I stand, I can not do otherwise. God help me. 
Amen.” 

Luther left Worms the next day, composed in mind. 
On his journey he was, by his own foreknowledge and 
consent, seized by the order of his elector and carried 
to the Wartburg, a romantically situated old castle near 
Eisenach. This residence at the castle marks the second 
period of his reformatory activity, the period of construc¬ 
tion for the work of the great reformation. In this retire¬ 
ment, which he called his Patmos, he, with the assistance 
of Melanchton, Jonas, Bugenhagen, Auregallus, and Dr. 
Koerrer, translated the Holy Scriptures into German, 
which contributed more than anything else to 
make the reformation permanent. He also wrote the 
first part of his German Postilla here, and a number of 
tracts and letters, while outside the Wartburg the pro¬ 
gressive work of the reformation was going forward. 
The victorious result of that great struggle is now 
a matter of history well known in all evangelical 
Christendom. 

One hundred and fifty million Protestants now honor 
the immortal memory of the great Reformer. Luther 
stands forth as the great faith hero not only of the Ger¬ 
man people, but also of the Protestant world. He was 
great in his private life as well as in his public career. 
His home was the ideal of cheerfulness, music and song. 
He was not only great in thought, but great also in action. 
Though a severe student, yet he was skillful in the 
knowledge of man. He believed in a personal Devil 
and was bold and defiant of satanic designs and powers. 
He boldly and fearlessly antagonized the papacy and 
defied the councils of his enemies, yet he bowed humbly 
and trustingly before the cross of Christ. By one of his 


204 


ALEXANDER M. MACKAY 


biographers he is justly characterized as a man who 
embodied in his single person the boldness of the battle¬ 
field, the song of the musician, the joy and care of the 
parent, the skill of the writer, the force of the orator, 
and the sincerity of rugged manhood, with the humility 
of the Christian. The great historians of the world honor 
and revere the name and the record of the Great Re¬ 
former. Such writers as Coleridge, Julius Hare, and 
Carlyle recognize his true worth and eulogize the im¬ 
portance of his career and the manliness of his character. 
Says Carlyle: “I will call this Luther a true great man, 
great in intellect, in courage, affection, and integrity; 
one of our most lovable and precious men. A right 
spiritual hero,and prophet, and, more, a true son of nature 
and fact, for whom the centuries, and many that are 
to come yet, will be thankful to Heaven.” 


ALEXANDER M. MACKAY 

“The Hero of Uganda 

Alexander Mackay, the son of a minister of the Gos¬ 
pel, was born on October 13, 1843, in the village of 
Rhynie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He early evinced a 
remarkable intellectual power; for when only three years 
old he read the New Testament, and when seven years of 
age he was fond of Paradise Lost and Gibbon’s Decline 
and Fall of the Roman Empire, and kindered literature. 
His father now taught him geography, astronomy and 
geometry, while he also paid much attention to me¬ 
chanics. At eighteen years of age he entered a teacher’s 
training college, where he studied applied mechanics, 
higher mathematics, and the like. Six years later he went 
to Berlin and there became a draughtsman in a large 



ALEXANDER M. MACK AY 


205 


engineering establishment. While there, he was intent 
on spreading a knowledge of evangelical truth among the 
Germans; and later, when Stanley’s call for men for 
Uganda reached him, he offered himself to the Church 
of England Missionary Society and, being gladly 
accepted, left on April 25, 1876, for Lake Nyassa. 

The same heroic element dominated Mackay, that has 
sent all great missionaries to their fields of labor—a love 
for God’s fallen people and a desire to rescue them from 
their wretched state. His resolution and enthusiasm was 
shown by his parting talk to the missionary society, in 
which he displays an unflinching determination to pros¬ 
ecute the work before him, in spite of the dangers, which 
he realized would beset him. 

Arriving at his field in the African forest, Mackay 
saw the necessity of a road for bullock wagons through 
the forest, from the coast to the interior. The thicket of 
vines and underwood was such that Mackay, in describing 
it, said, he could not “pull a donkey through it.” Equip¬ 
ping the ignorant Africans with saws, hatchets, axes, 
sword-bayonets and other tools, however, he cut this road 
through dense jungles, where even when a tree was “cut 
down,” it would not fall on account of the thick creepers 
clustering in festoons from one tree to another. Over 
one ravine he built a bridge as strong as iron, to the 
amazement of the curious natives, and in about two years 
the great road, two hundred and fifty miles long, reach¬ 
ing from the coast inland to Mpwapwa, was finished, 
though only such food as could be procured from the 
natives along the road was eaten, and though the workers 
often slept without shelter. 

His chief work was to have been to take the small 
steamer, the Daisy, to the great lake, Victoria Nyanza; 


206 


ALEXANDER M. MAC KAY 


but, while he was building his road, others had done this 
for him; and now, when he reached the inland sea, he 
found the little craft sadly out of repair. The freed 
slaves, left in charge of the boat, had left, after helping 
themselves to what they desired, and the rest was now 
in poor condition. Tools, machinery, edibles, books, 
chemicals, clothes and toys lay promiscuously piled in 
heaps, while the Daisy lay rotting, without a sound 
plank in her. Under such discouragements, Mackay be¬ 
gan the task of repairing the boat. 

Mr. Mackay found the political and social conditions 
of Uganda, a territory covering about seventy thousand 
square miles, and bordering on the north-east coast of 
Victoria Lake, in general, resembling those of the sur¬ 
rounding tribes. The government was a limited mon¬ 
archy, of which the king was the all-powerful head, 
though he was advised by a sort of “Mayor of the palace” 
and by a cabinet, chosen by himself. The social con¬ 
dition was as among other savages. Polygamy prevailed, 
and the women were practically slaves’ to their hus¬ 
bands, though the latter were not as harsh and cruel as 
those of the surrounding tribes. In matters of religion 
they were in strong contrast with the natives on the 
west coast. They recognized one supreme and omnip¬ 
otent God; but He was esteemed as being too exalted to 
pay any attention to human interests, wherefore they 
worshipped numerous inferior deities and spirits. This 
religion was naturally attended by superstition, and 
many charms were worn to keep off evil spirits, while 
medicine men had great power over them. 

When, on February 14, 1879, Mackay began his 
work in this country, in company with Wilson, another 
English missionary, he had, at once, more work than he 


ALEXANDER M. MACK AY 


207 


could do. Besides working in a wickerwork work-shop, 
translating, brickmaking, printing, making a vocabulary 
and learning the language, he found time, if only late at 
night, to teach the natives letters. This teaching was 
carried on by what Mackay called the “look-and-say” 
method, for he prepared large fly-sheets printed in the 
Uganda language, and warriors, chiefs and slaves, stand¬ 
ing at his side, shouted out their lessons as he worked. 

As his work progressed, opposition became stronger. 
The Arabs had no fondness for the missionaries, since 
they antagonized Mohammedanism and the slave trade, 
of which they were the chief agents. They had extended 
their influence greatly through Uganda, though Stanley 
later turned the king, Mtesa, from that faith. Besides 
this, a revival of the worship of the lubari, or spirits 
now broke out, due to vigorous efforts of the enemies of 
Mackay and the Christian religion. Jesuits now also 
reached Uganda and did all in their power to proselyte 
the Christians and to gain control of the king. 

Mackay, however, as a true and indomitable cham¬ 
pion for his religion, took up the fight, regardless of its 
attendant dangers. He, no less than the natives, was 
subject to the tyrant king’s will, and hence it required 
coolness, courage and infinite tact to make any headway 
with him, without losing his own head. Still, with 
remarkable adroitness, he kept up the religious discus¬ 
sion with the king, while he also worked among the 
common people, often by object lessons, such as the 
burning of a charm or idol before their eyes, in order 
to show its helplessness. 

In October, 1884, Mtesa died and his son, Mwanga, 
a weaker and far more wicked man than his father, came 
to the throne. From various causes he began a persecu¬ 
tion of the Chirstians. The Arabs said that the converts 


208 


ALEXANDER M. MACK AY 


were harboring malefactors and various other slanderous 
reports were spread about them. Converts were caught 
and taken to the borders of a dismal swamp, a rough 
scaffold was erected and heaped with firewood. Then, 
amid inhuman jests and mockery, the limbs of the poor 
victims were cut off and thrown into the flames, and their 
bleeding bodies, quivering with agony were roasted alive. 
Mackay was heartbroken; but he fearlessly continued his 
labors. His one joy was that the Christians had died 
bravely, fearlessly enduring the persecution for Christ’s 
sake. An attempt made to entrap and kill Mackay was 
unsuccessful; but Bishop Hannington and all his party, 
who had just arrived in Africa from England, were mur¬ 
dered at the king’s command. This murder was followed 
by more persecution, and all Christians were alike in jeo¬ 
pardy, since the king feared vengeance on the part of 
Great Britain for the murder of the bishop. 

Mackay was now shut up in this fierce country, unable 
to leave, and suspected by both king and nobles, while 
plots were made by his arch-enemies, the Arabs, for 
his destruction. Though he repeatedly asked leave of 
absence from the king, the latter would not let him 
leave his kingdom, under pretense of great affection 
for him. Therefore, while king and nobles watched his 
every movement with jealous suspicion, he continued 
busy, now making an enormous flagstaff for the king,, 
now translating the Scriptures, now freely using his 
printing press and now arguing with the king. Mean¬ 
while the Arabs endeavored to arouse the king’s anger 
and distrust against him; but were unsuccessful. Finally 
Mwanga decided to let Mackay leave the country, on 
condition of sending another missionary to take his 
place; for he wanted a hostage in case of an attack by 



DR. MORRISON AND HIS CHINESE ASSISTANTS 

























ALEXANDER M. MACKAY 


209 


England. This spoiled the plans of the Arabs, who had 
planned to plunder the station in Maekay’s absence, 
and they asked permission to conduct the missionary 
across the lake, which plan, however, Mackay was able 
to avert. Therefore, on July 21, 1887, Mackay locked 
up the mission premises, left the keys with the French 
priests and started, in the Eleanor, on his voyage to the 
south end of the lake, leaving seventy-five hundred 
pupils behind him. 

He arrived at this point on August the first, and 
here he met five missionary friends. Two of them, how¬ 
ever, were suddenly stricken with fever, and died, while 
the others soon afterward departed to other places and 
he was once more left alone. He occupied himself with 
his retranslation of St. John’s gospel and with gathering 
material for building another steam launch, with which 
he purposed to carry on mission work on the shores 
of the lake. Suddenly smallpox broke out and raged 
everywhere about him, and, feeling it his duty, he began 
vaccinating hosts of people, both old and young. Before 
the close of the year a number of Ugadna Christians 
found their way to Mackay at Usambiro and there sup¬ 
ported themselves by agricultural employment. 

On February 8, 1890, shortly after he had implored 
the society to send “a host of English teachers,” he him¬ 
self received a call higher; for on that day, at 11 o’clock 
p. m., after a four days’ sickness from fever, he entered 
the land of perfect peace and happiness. A coffin was 
made from the wood, which he had collected for his 
boat, and at his grave the Christians from Uganda and 
Usambiro sang, in their native Uganda language, the 
song, “All hail the power of Jesus’ name.” 

The Christian world received the knowledge of the 


210 


GEORGE LESLIE MAC KAY 


hero’s death with sincere grief and with expressions of 
admiration for Mackay’s accomplishments and remark¬ 
able character, which he truly merited, for his career 
exhibited such versatility of talent as rarely centers in 
one man. “He could grapple with Mohammedans in 
sharp theological controversy, or sit for hours teaching 
boys to read, or patiently translate the Scriptures into 
a language, that had neither grammar nor dictionary, and 
was thus a many sided and an intense missionary.” 
The great variety of his industrial and civilizing agencies 
made him a lofty exemplar of what lay missionaries and 
industrail missions mean. 


GEORGE LESLIE MACKAY 

“Formosa’s Preacher and Teacher” 

The Saint Peter of Formosa, George Mackay, was 
descended from a respectable ancestry, Scottish High¬ 
landers, who loved and served God, accepting and using 
the Bible as His inspired Word, a veritable spiritual 
sword, given of God unto man for the conquest of the 
world for Christ. Driven out by the king, who desired 
their lands for deer parks, they had sought refuge in 
Canada, and there built comfortable, Christian homes. 
Under such influence George Mackay came into the 
world, in the town of Zorra, on March 21, 1844. He 
learned the “three R’s” in an old log school house, 
“chunked” with wood and clay. He was early intensely 
fond of study and of acquiring more knowledge, and 
remained so during his entire life. After teaching in the 
public school to obtain means to continue his education, 
he attended Knox College. 

He early heard the call, which became a dominant 



GEORGE LESLIE MAC KAY 


211 


chord in his life. Before he had reached the age of ten, 
the blessed name of Jesus was sacred in his ear, and then 
the thought of telling it to benighted peoples, to whom 
it was yet unknown, first came to him. With this inten¬ 
tion he attended Princeton Theological Seminary and, at 
the same time, attended the missionary lectures of Dr. 
Alexander Duff, which aroused in him an enthusiasm 
in God’s work, which never left him. He now began 
missionary work among the outcasts of Cowgate and 
Grassmarket of Edinburgh, and was considering the 
advisability of applying to be sent abroad under one 
of the Scotch or American societies, when, on April 14, 
1871, he was informed of his appointment as the first 
missionary of the Presbyterian Church of Canada. At 
once starting homewards, he made a tour of the 
churches, and the necessary preparations for departure, 
and sailed for China on October 19 of the same year. 

The separation was painful for him, and at the time 
he encountered what he later called his Gethsemane, but 
“the Word brought light.” Retiring to his stateroom 
he read over and over again the psalms beginning, “I 
will lift up mine eyes to the hills;” and “God is our 
refuge and our strength,” while he also found comfort 
in the Savior’s promise, “Lo, I am with you alway.” 

Since the choice of his location in China was left to 
Mackay, he decided upon Tamsui, on the island of 
Formosa (“Beautiful”), which lies off the coast of 
China. Though the Japanese subsequently got possession 
of the island, it was largely peopled by Chinese, and 
Mackay’s work was carried on in the Chinese tongue. 

After a short visit with his English co-workers in 
southern Formosa, he went to his first field. His home 
was neither pleasant nor healthy. Built on the side of 


212 


GEORGE LESLIE MACK AY 


a hill, the water, in rainy weather, rushed down the 
steep hill, across the earthen and board floor to the 
river directly below. The furnishings consisted of two 
pine boxes, a bed, a chair and an old pewter lamp. 
Still, nothing daunted, and thankful for the privilege of 
being his Lord’s emissary, he turned to his first duty 
of learning the language. His first teacher was his 
Chinese servant; but he soon forsook him, and Mackay 
turned to the herdboys out in the wild for help. At first 
they fled at his appearance; but patience and his harm¬ 
less appearance finally conquered their fears, and, con¬ 
versing with them with what Chinese he had learned, 
he greatly increased his vocabulary, so that, in five 
months, he could preach his first sermon in Chinese. 

Two months after his arrival, Mackay’s faith was 
strengthened by an answer to his prayer. Since begin¬ 
ning his missionary labors it had been his desire and 
prayer that his first convert might be an intelligent, 
active young man, who could assist him in his labors, 
and upon the arrival of such a man, he knew that the 
Lord had granted his wish. He presented the inquirer, 
A-hoa, a song book, and a succession of interviews 
quickly followed, in which prayerful and earnest teach¬ 
ing of the story of the cross won the young native’s 
heart, and he became a staunch advocate for Christ. 

With the help of the new convert, five more were 
won for Christ in one year, and a chapel was needed, 
which God also supplied. The first woman convert, 
Thah-so, living ten miles from Tamsui, was touched 
deeply by the living words of God’s truth, and brought 
boatloads of other women down the river to hear the 
glad tidings, and finally induced Mackay to visit her 
village. The head man of the village was converted and 


GEORGE LESLIE MAC KAY 


213 


gave a plot of ground for a chapel. With great 
enthusiasm stones and bricks were collected, and the 
chapel was begun; but the suspicious heathen, aroused 
by the progress of God's work, sent a detachment of 
soldiers, who, by yelling and threats endeavored to stop 
the work. Thah-so and the head man, however, boldly 
announced their conversion and declared their determina¬ 
tion to live for Christ, which discountenanced the 
soldiers and secured freedom from further molestation. 
The chapel was finished and regular and effective preach¬ 
ing begun. 

Later other chapels and churches were established. 
Bang-kah, the largest and most Chinese and anti- 
foreign city on the island, stood out strongly against 
the new religion. Upon their appearance in the city, 
the Christians were jeered at and maligned and 
pelted with refuse, mud and rotten eggs. A law 
was passed warning the inhabitants, on pain of death, 
not to rent or sell houses to the missionary. Mackay, 
however, felt that the city must be taken for Christ, and, 
in December 1877, he succeeded in renting a wretched 
hovel, and placed over the door the inscription, “Jesus' 
Holy Temple.” Soldiers, noticing it, threatened him 
with violence and reported it to the general, who claimed 
the building and ordered Mackay to depart. The claim 
proving correct, Mackay decided to leave; and the next 
morning hurried to his boat, jostling through the crowds 
and dodging the filth and missiles hurled at him from 
the house-tops. The next evening he besought God to 
open Bang-kah to them and, rising from his knees, he 
returned to the city under th^ cover of darkness. An 
old man was found, who was willing to sell the mis¬ 
sionaries a house, and on the following morning the 


214 


GEORGE LESLIE MAC KAY 


inscription, “J esus ’ Holy Temple” again stared the en¬ 
raged populace in the face. The city was in an uproar 
and hundreds donned their war dress, ready for the fray.. 
The devoted and dauntless Mackay, however, still 
moved about among them, extracting teeth of sufferers 
from time to time. On the third day the storm broke, 
and a terrible scene ensued. Amid shrieks of rage, 
Mackay’s house was literally torn to the ground. The 
Chinamen actually dug up the stones of the foundation 
with their hands and then stood spitting on the site. 
Mackay meanwhile moved across the street to an inn; 
but the mob followed, and the crash of tiles told of 
their frenzied efforts to force an entrance. The inn¬ 
keeper came to him, with keys in his hand, and begged 
him to leave, lest the inn be destroyed. Then a Chinese 
madarin and the British Consul arrived and the madarin 
begged the consul to send Mackay away, but this he 
refused to do. He then personally begged Mackay with 
bended knee, but he declined, declaring that he would 
remain to preach the Gospel and to extract the teeth 
of the sufferers. Though, during the long negotiations 
that followed, various sites were offered, a new chapel 
was erected on the place of the one torn down, and 
though the former owner was forced to flee for his life, 
and hearers were boycotted, while soldiers stood on 
guard during services, Mackay did not retreat, but was 
determined to win for his Lord, and win he did; for 
in 1893, as he left the city to visit Canada, he was 
escorted out by a grand procession, such as is only given 
to great men on special occasions. 

More persecutions followed. In 1884, the Chinese, 
aroused by the French invasion, vented their rage on 
the Christians. Seven of their best churches were 


GEORGE LESLIE MAC KAY 


215 


utterly destroyed, while the converts suffered tortures 
and death in various forms. Some were drowned, others 
were hanged, while many suffered horrible tortures. 
Still the work increased. God's people remained con¬ 
stant, and after the invasion new churches, of better 
structure than that of the old, pointed the persecutors 
to God with their tall spires. 

Mackay's school, or “Peripatetic University” was his 
chief means of conquering the savages. Traveling with 
his leaders from place to place, he trained them for their 
work by teaching them by word and example. A clump 
of bushes sufficed as a class-room, while the Bible was 
the text-book and specimens, geological, botanical and 
zoological, were used as auxiliary volumes to prove the 
greatness of God. Later, however, the people of Oxford, 
Mackay’s native county, becoming interested in his work, 
donated the money to establish a college, and thereafter 
teaching was carried on in the Oxford College. 

Another great influence over the people came through 
his wife. For two great reasons Mackay was induced 
to marry a native Chinese lady. It was evident that 
a Chinese wife could most easily reach the native women, 
and through them the children; and that the wives thus 
reached would have great influence over their husbands. 
Besides this, the climate of Formosa was very unhealthy, 
and Mackay felt that it was unwise to ask Occidental 
women to come to a land of death. Therefore, on May, 
1878, he was married to a most estimable Chinese lady, 
and the results, from the standpoint of effective ser¬ 
vice, and from that of family felicity, show that his 
decision was not unwise. 

While engaged in making modifications required by 
the Japanese government, into whose hands the island 


2l6 


JOHN KENNETH MACKENZIE 


passed in 1896, Mackay was troubled by his throat. A 
treatment at Hong Kong for ulceration of the throat 
was of little benefit, and on June 2, 1901, he passed 
through the pearly gates into the city of supernal beauty. 

Mackay’s life is an ideal of missionary consecration. 
He spared time for only two visits to his home land, and 
then only to stir the churches to more life in regard 
to the mission work. He burned the midnight oil to 
increase his range of knowledge and often caught only 
three hours* sleep. In three months he traveled 1600 
miles on foot, besides repairing two other chapels and 
opening a new station. He is indeed “an illustration 
of what God will enable those to do, who fully consecrate 
themselves to His service/* 


JOHN KENNETH MACKENZIE 

“The Beloved Physician” 

On the twenty-fifth of August, 1850, there was born 
ar Yarmouth, on the Isle of Wight, a lad later known 
in China as “our beloved physician/* In his early youth 
the family removed to Bristol, where the boy spent his 
youth, under the Christian influence of his Scotch father 
and Welsh mother, people of earnest, simple-hearted 
piety. “He showed little liking for study and left school 
at the age of fifteen to become a clerk in a merchants 
office. 

Later he joined the Bible class of the Young Men*s 
Christian Association. Two days in this class were of 
greatest importance for him. On the first of these days, 
in 1867, Dr. Moody spoke, his theme being, “A Good 
Conscience.** The talk left Mackenzie full of doubt and 
questioning and, with a stricken conscience, he, with 



JOHN KENNETH MACKENZIE 


217 


several others, arose for prayer. He realized his need 
of help, but found it difficult to believe. One year later 
found him again in the Bible study class. On this day 
the Association secretary from London asked the men 
either to accept or reject Christ. The appeal made a 
great impression upon Kenneth, and he, with several 
others arose. “His doubts and questionings were met 
in the blessed person of Jesus Christ Himself/’ 

He at once took up Christian work, holding open air 
services, visiting the poor, distributing Christian lit¬ 
erature and working at the Midnight Mission. Feeling 
the need of proficiency in public speaking, he and 
several friends met in an old cow shed in the country 
and there delivered carefully prepared sermons and 
prayed in turn. While working at the evangelistic ser¬ 
vices in Bristol Theater he met a friend, Colonel Duncan, 
to whom he first mentioned his desire to become a foreign 
missionary. The Colonel advised him, since he was still 
young, to study medicine and go as a medical missionary 
to China, and at the same time he handed him a pam¬ 
phlet, entitled “The Double Cure; or What is a Medical 
Mission?” This led Mackenzie to his decision. 

When he asked his parents’ consent to become a 
missionary he met with a most serious obstacle, for 
neither entreaty nor argument could move them to a 
consent to his plan. Hence a triumvirate of friends was 
formed and these joined in pleading with God to remove 
this obstacle from His young servant’s path. The prayers 
were answered on the very night that they were uttered 
and Mackenzie’s faith was strengthened greatly. 

After a careful preparation of four years, especially 
in the study of the eye, he was sent by the London 
Missionary Society to the great city Hankow, in 1875. 


218 


JOHN KENNETH MACKENZIE 


He began his struggle with the Chinese language in 
the hospital and was at once besieged by patients, 
among whom eye diseases abounded. Many of those 
cured were deeply interested in the Christian teachings, 
and several were baptized at once. 

Daily preaching is carried on in most of the mission 
chapels in China. A shop is fitted up where the foreign 
missionary and his native assistant can proclaim the 
glad tidings to any who happen to come in from their 
work or amusements; but no regular sermons are 
preached. Services are carried on in the Socratic method 
of asking and answering questions and thus, by patient 
repetition the missionaries try to show these benighted 
people the love of Jesus for them. 

Mackenzie also did country work, or work as a travel¬ 
ing preacher and doctor. Stopping at some place, such 
as a tea shop, Mackenzie, with his companoin, would talk 
to the gathering crowd about God. Then, when he men¬ 
tioned that he was a doctor, and the sick in the neighbor¬ 
hood were brought to him, he would have them taken 
to the hospital, “and thus the teaching could be 
followed up.” 

In many places Mackenzie carried on his work with 
great opposition and danger. Upon visiting the village 
of a convert, Wei, the missionary and his attendants 
attracted much attention and soon a crowd was at their 
heels. The rudeness of the crowd grew worse as its 
numbers grew. “Then the heathens threw hard clods 
at the missionaries (for fortunately there were no 
stones), and Mackenzie found himself the center of a 
howling mob of about one thousand men and boys. The 
native Christians behaved nobly, one of them saying, 
“You may kill me, but don’t kill my pastor.” Mackenzie 


JOHN KENNETH MACKENZIE 


219 


guarded his head with his hands; but Mr. Griffith John, 
who had opened up work in Hankow, was cut and bleed¬ 
ing. Finally, while the mob was crossing a bridge, the 
missionaries broke through the crowd and escaped; after 
which a native Christian took them to the home of a 
friend, who received them kindly. 

The next few years were eventful ones for Mackenzie. 
In December, 1876, the lady to whom he was betrothed, 
came from England to Shanghai, and they were married. 
The same year he treated over a thousand persons in the 
wards, and almost twelve thousand in the dispensary. 
Many difficult operations, such as the opening of the 
windpipe, were performed. In October of the next year 
Dr. Mackenzie’s heart was gladdened by the birth of a 
little daughter, Margaret Ethel. 

After four years’ labor in Hankow, the doctor decided 
to go to a place with a healthier climate- Accordingly, 
amid loving farewells he left for his new field, Tien-tsin. 
Traveling had to be done in heavy carts, without 
springs. Since the roads were rough and dusty, travel¬ 
ing was anything but pleasant, and bedding and pillows 
were thrown into the carts in order to make riding 
somewhat bearable. 

On account of his early experience, Dr. Mackenzie 
was a full believer in the power of prayer. In his new 
field there was neither money nor drugs to open his 
work. It would take five months before help arrived 
from the home Board; and, upon suggestion, the doctor 
sent the viceroy, Li Hung Chang, a written request, 
setting forth the advantages of establishing a hospital 
for the Chinese. No answer was given, though the little 
mission circle prayed mightily for success. The viceroy’s 
wife became ill and was soon at death’s door. The 


220 


JOHN KENNETH MACKENZIE 


native doctor gave up all hope. Finally the viceroy was 
prevailed upon to call Dr. Mackenzie, and under the 
latter’s skillful attention she recovered. When she was 
convalescent, Miss Dr- Howard of Pekin was called 
for a few months’ stay, and the result was that Lady Li 
established a woman’s hospital, with Miss Howard at 
its head. 

A further attempt was made for a dispensary. Dr. 
Mackenzie invited the viceroy to witness several difficult 
operations. He became interested and gave one of his 
rooms for a dispensary; but when court business was 
impeded by the throng of patients, a part of the temple, 
the finest building in Tientsin, was set aside for the 
doctor’s use. This, however, was three miles from the 
Mission compound and Mackenzie determined to build 
one nearer. Accordingly he asked his rich patients for 
subscriptions and received lavish gifts. “The hospital 
was built, and publicly opened by the viceroy, amid 
imposing ceremonies, at which the British and Russian 
consuls spoke.” 

Mackenzie’s diligence and faithful activities may be 
judged from his program. Rising at half past six, he 
was busy all day teaching the Bible class, studying the 
language, working in the dispensary, teaching a medical 
class, attending to correspondence, leading prayer meet¬ 
ing and so forth, doing the work of several men besides 
himself. Surgical operations were especially distressing 
to him, because all of the responsibility rested upon 
him, and if the patient should die, the news that Macken¬ 
zie had killed him would be spread abroad. 

He saw a rare privilege in influencing the educated 
young Chinese from a Christian standpoint and, to 
accomplish this, began a medical school with himself 


JOHN KENNETH MACKENZIE 


221 


taking the place of the faculty. A delegation of young 
Chinamen, who had been sent to the best schools in 
America, had been recalled in a few years to avoid their 
becoming Americanized. Dr. Mackenzie took them into 
his medical school and, besides giving them medical 
instruction, spent much time in preaching the name of 
Jesus to them. 

“At this period of his life in 1881, when Dr. Macken¬ 
zie needed the comforts of his home and family most, 
his wife's health failed and she was obliged to go to 
England.” 

The work now became harder and, pressing him 
heavily in many different departments, began to tell upon 
him physically. He no longer had time to read any¬ 
thing but his Bible, and from this source he received 
the necessary strength and comfort. His great joy was 
to watch the spiritual growth of his mission and the 
growing thirst for the Gospel evinced among this be¬ 
nighted race. 

In the midst of his work he was stricken with small¬ 
pox, contracted from his patients, and, after a few days' 
illness, on Easter day, April 1, 1888, while it was yet dark, 
he left the cheerless plain of Chih-li to join Him, whom 
not having seen, he so deeply loved. Chinamen thronged 
the little church and cemetery and the viceroy sent high 
officials to represent himself and his wife. Thirty-six 
different men were bearers, changing places as they 
moved to give all the privilege of carrying the body a 
little way. Then, amid demonstrations unusual among 
the Chinese, they laid their “beloved physician” to his 
eternal rest, while the strains of “Rock of Ages” arose 
from the graveside. 


CARRIE L. M’MILLAN 

A Marvel of Consecration 

A motherless infant lay sick unto death. Beside 
the bed knelt her father, deep in prayer with the 
Almighty, pleading for the life of his darling girl. 
“Spare the life of my child, O Lord!” he cried. “If 
thou wilt save her, I dedicate her to thy service as 
a missionary to heathen lands.” 

The prayer was heard and Carrie M’Millan recovered. 
Even when yet a little girl she secretly cherished the 
thought that she would become a missionary, and 
when, in her study of geography, she would trace the 
ocean paths to India and locate the great cities of that 
country, she did so, saying to herself, “My school-mates 
and teachers little think I shall see those places.” 

After her conversion at the age of seven years her 
love for her Savior ripened into a deep, undying desire 
to experience her secret dream. When she had grown 
to glorious womanhood, she told her longings to her 
pastor and his wife, who, realizing her fitness for the 
work of her choice, arranged to have her presented before 
the directors of the Woman’s Missionary Society for 
acceptance. 

Then, while her case was pending, her father first 
told her of his prayer for her life while she was an infant 
and of his dedicating her young life to the Master’s 
service. 

“I hope, Carrie, you will yet live to fulfill this vow!” 
he added in conclusion. 

Then the young woman for the first time realized 
the connection between her father’s prayer and her de¬ 
sire to work among the heathen, and her soul was filled 
with a great joy. She was convinced that her desire 


222 


CARRIE L. M’MILLAN 


223 


to labor in the Master’s vineyard was of the Lord, 
and she now felt satisfied. 

Her appointment was to India. Now she, a defense¬ 
less maiden, was to venture across the trackless sea to 
a strange, unfriendly land, leaving behind her the 
affectionate care of a devoted father and the shelter of 
a comfortable home. For the first time she and her 
father realized the bitter trial of saying adieu. After 
his daughter had taken ship, he poured out his grief to 
his Heavenly Father, finding there a sympathizing ear. 
The Spirit comforted him and, arising from his knees 
with a radiant face, he exclaimed to his son, 

“I have gained the victory! Glory, glory! I am glad 
Carrie is gone, and glad she has such a message to 
deliver!” 

Miss M’Millan entered on her work with the full 
spirit of her undying love for her Savior, which made 
failure an impossibility. In one of her letters to her 
friends, she wrote, “Of my work in India, I love it. 
I love the people with a peculiar love. I am glad I have 
a place in this field. I am glad that prayer for India’s 
redemption is being answered. The time is coming 
when India’s daughters, so long bound by the fetters of 
superstition, shall hear the voice of Christ. The door 
of the zenana shall swing back and in the light of God’s 
countenance they shall come forth.” 

When men and women enter into the spirit of God’s 
work with such zeal and faith, what forces can prevail 
again them? They must conquer and will conquer, lay¬ 
ing the whole world at the feet of the blessed Redeemer, 
and the glorious Millennium shall be ushered in. 


JERRY MCAULEY 

A Marvel of Grace 

In the year 1850, there came to New York an old 
grandmother and her thirteen-year-old grandson, fresh 
from Ireland. They settled down in the “Bowery,” 
near Brooklyn Bridge, where, unfortunately, the in¬ 
fluence pervading the young lad was of the worst, for 
in this part of the city the powers of darkness ruled 
supreme. Drinking, gambling and every other imagin¬ 
able vice were here so powerful that the churches had 
been closed and moved to a more pleasant district. Soon 
the old grandmother, despite her praiseworthy efforts, 
lost all influence over little Jerry, who boldly went from 
one misdemeanor to another until he had developed into 
a thorough rascal. It did not take long until he could 
surpass all his degraded companions in chewing, smok¬ 
ings drinking, stealing, gambling, lying or any of their 
low tricks. Honest labor he had never learned. He 
became a notorious outlaw, of whom even the police 
were afraid and sank constantly lower, until he had 
reached the lowest depth of degradation. 

Finally, when as a nineteen-year-old youth he was 
sentenced to fifteen years’ and six months’ discipline 
in Sing Sing prison, a halt was called to his sinful prac¬ 
tices. Here he met the renowned prize fighter, “Awful 
Gardner,” who had been as bad a scoundrel as Jerry, 
and had reached the prison somewhat sooner. He had 
now, however, become converted from his sins and was 
striving for the welfare of his fellow convicts’ souls. 
Though a rough, unpolished man, he was inspired with 
the firey love and power of the Holy Spirit, and preached 
with convincing force. When Jerry first heard Gardner, 
he mentally observed: “I know that man. He was sunk 


224 



CATHERINE BOOTH 

MARY LOUISA 
ELEANOR CHESTNUT 


ISABELLA TITOBURN 
WIIATELY 

CLARA BARTON 





















JERRY McAULEY 


225 


as deep as I. He is converted. He is honest. Some¬ 
thing marvelous must certainly have happened to him.” 
Soon he became convicted and was converted to God, 
and so thorough was the change that after eight years’ 
imprisonment he was released by a pardon from Gover¬ 
nor Dix. 

Now that he was free a great problem faced him. 
Whither should he go? What should he do? What 
could he do? He seemed helpless, for he had never 
learned to work. Shelterless he wandered through the 
streets seeking an opportunity to earn food and lodging, 
but was met everywhere by a cold refusal and even a 
rebuke, until finally, hungry and desperate, he returned 
to his old form of life. Several days later a missionary 
met him in his sinful ways and asked him, “Jerry, whithe^ 
to?” Jerry was frightened, but answered desperately, 
“I cannot starve.” “Come with me,” urged the kind- 
hearted man of God, “I shall pawn my coat, if it has any 
value, to care for you and myself.” McAuley was sur¬ 
prised. “If you are willing to do that for me, I would 
rather starve than steal again.” He went with the mis¬ 
sionary and found shelter and protection. Under his 
gentle guidance he mended his ways, and, though he 
fell back to his old life several times, his better self 
finally conquered and he began missionary labors among 
those who were leading lives similar to that which he had 
left, becoming the renowned “Apostle to the drunkards.” 

McAuley now married a corpulent, saucy woman, 
with whom he had lived in years previous. She, too, 
had now found the Lord Jesus and had discontinued her 
life of shame and disgrace. A missionary had once 
asked her whether she knew Jesus. The name had per¬ 
sistently stuck in her mind, until it had led her to the 


226 


JERRY McAULEY 


seat of mercy, and now her one and leading passion 
was to save unfortunate “bums” from destruction. 

In 1868, Jerry McAuley founded his “Rescue Mission” 
on Water Street, in the most degraded, God forsaken 
section of New York. Here he and his wife labored 
earnestly for ten years for the salvation of the fallen, 
with great success. Hundreds were saved and thousands 
were given a new incentive to lead a better and higher 
life- The attention of the New York churches was 
arrested and they extended ready assistance. This was 
the beginning of similar missions whicji have been 
founded since. 

Later Jerry decided to move his mission to 23rd 
Street, near the famous Cremorne Garden with its debas¬ 
ing play houses, and there he founded the largest and 
best furnished mission station of its kind. For two 
years succeeding he and his wife labored there with 
wonderful success, until consumption suddenly took the 
great apostle to his reward. 

How well New York loved McAuley and appreciated 
his work, was shown at his funeral. He was buried like 
a prince, with a funeral such as had been given to no 
private citizen before him; and well did he deserve it, 
for despite the strong influence of the degraded environ¬ 
ment in which he had grown to manhood; in spite of the 
discouraging suspicion cast upon him as an ex-convict, 
he had become a staunch apostle of Jesus and as such 
had not disdained to labor among the degraded comrades 
of his early life. He had made a heroic struggle against 
sin and had won and had helped others to win- In him 
a curse was turned into a blessing, which greatly glorified 
the grace of God. 


HENRY MARTYN 

God’s Messenger to India 

On the 18th of February, 1781, was born a lad, who, 
though granted a short life-time here below, won a 
distinguished name in missionary annals. In his youth, 
this lad, Henry Martyn, though proud and sensitive and 
of a retiring disposition, was ambitious and possessed 
a talent for learning which won him high standing in 
the schools. He was, however, only formally religious, 
but, after the death of his father, under the instruction 
of his friend, Rev. Charles Simons, his thoughts were 
turned to man’s highest duty; and after his early gradua¬ 
tion, he fully realized, that life, to be worth living, must 
have a noble aim, above the petty rewards of the world. 
He read the “Life of David Brainard” and his work 
among the American Indians, and this reading marked 
an era in his life, for he felt his “heart knit to the dear 
man” and, wishing to lead a life of similar noble sacrifice, 
determined to devote his life to the ministry, though he 
had been preparing himself for the law. 

With this decision a great change came over Martyn. 
“His soul was filled with divine love, and his mind was 
awed under a sense of his great obligations.” Subdued 
and gentle, he was yet earnest and bold in his reproof 
of wrong; and though as tender as a father, he was 
often times a stern preacher. 

When he offered himself to the Church Missionary 
Society for work in India, he was pormptly accepted and 
ordained at Ely, on October 22, 1803. Desiring more 
experience as a preacher of the Gospel before he sailed, 
he, for a time, assisted Mr. Simons at the university as 
his curate, and also served the parish at Lolwirth. Then, 
when he prepared to depart, the lady, whom he ardently 


227 


228 


HENRY MARTYN 


loved, refused to go to Hindostan. He hesitated, but 
his love for souls conquered, though the intensity of his 
feelings was such, that he fainted away. When the East 
India Company, which was hostile to the missionary 
enterprise, refused to transport him as a missionary, he 
accepted their offer to serve the company as chaplain, 
and thus secured a passage. 

He sailed on July 17, 1805. On board the ship were 
soldiers for the capture of the Cape of Good Hope, and 
it was with feelings of horror that Martyn contemplated 
this attack upon the almost helpless people of the Cape; 
but, as soon as possible, he prayerfully pointed the poor, 
bleeding and dying wretches to Christ. After an event¬ 
ful voyage, he arrived at Calcutta, in May, 1806. 

Here he was joyfully received by the English people 
who were charmed by his culture and talent. He 
became an intimate of the home of Rev. David Brown, 
at Aldeen, near the city, and the latter gave him a beauti¬ 
ful pagoda on his grounds, which he was to use as his 
study. He was charmed with the present, and the 
people desired him to settle there as a permanent min¬ 
ister; but his missionary zeal could not be cooled. He 
must go on to yet more heathen districts. He sought 
and obtained an appointment to Dinapore, and on the 
26th of November, he arrived at his destination. 

At Dinapore he applied himself unsparingly to learn 
the Hindostani language, though his duties as chaplain 
only required him to attend to the spiritual wants of the 
Europeans. Despite the opposition of the natives and 
the indifference of the Europeans, he established a school 
for natives and began the translation of the Bible into 
Hindostani. In the two years and a half which he spent 
at Dinapore, he learned to speak the native language. 


HENRY MARTYN 


22 9 


fluently, and translated the New Testament into that 
language, besides translating a great part of it into 
Persic. Though busied in this way, he founded five 
schools and in these spent much time in the instruction 
of the natives. Here he met Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood, 
in whose friendship he found a great comfort, but soon 
Mr. Sherwood was ordered to Cawnpore, and Mr. Mar- 
tyn was left lonely and sad. This grief was added to 
the information that his two sisters had died of consump¬ 
tion, while he himself began to show symptoms of the 
disease; but his activity did not abate. Early in 1809, 
he was also ordered to Cawnpore, and made the journey 
in the hottest season of the year, over desert and through 
tangled jungles. Though his resolute spirit bore him 
through, he fell fainting when he reached Mr. Sherwood’s 
house, at the place of his destination. 

When he could again be out of doors, the devoted 
man again began his labors. Since he could not build 
a chapel, he preached to the regiment of soldiers un¬ 
sheltered, under a tropical sun, while at almost every 
service soldiers sank to the ground, overcome with heat. 
Besides these services, he became known to beggars 
and mendicants, who appealed to him for help. To these 
he appointed a time, when they should come for their 
alms, and then, when they were assembled, he would 
preach the name of Jesus. This was, by no means, 
a pleasant task, for these filthy, diseased and crippled 
men were the scum of their race, sunk into sin and 
degradation. While he spoke of the greatness of God, 
they would listen attentively; but when he accused them 
as sinners, who had displeased God by their tresspasses, 
his words would be drowned by hisses and execrations. 

It now became necessary for Martyn to leave Cawn- 


230 


HENRY MARTYN 


pore, for in the heat of India, and during his close 
application, consumption was making alarmingly rapid 
progress. Since a return to England would probably 
mean the cessation of his labors, he decided to make a 
journey to Persia; for there he would have the two¬ 
fold advantage of a change of climate and of greater 
facilities for the revision of his Persic Testament, which 
he had undertaken. His friends at Calcutta, alarmed 
at his appearance, were unwilling to let him undertake 
the journey; yet it seemed to be the only recourse, and 
on January 17, 1811, he bade them a sorrowful farewell, 
and turned his face to Shiraz. 

Five months were consumed by his passage, during 
which time he was exposed to almost unendurable hard¬ 
ships. The part of his travel conducted on land exposed 
his enfeebled frame to the most violent extremes of 
temperature. By day he often weltered in a heat some¬ 
times reaching 120 degrees in the shade, and in a few 
hours afterwards he was chilled by a cold that made 
him tremble as though in an ague fit. Often he could 
steal only a few hours of rest during the night; while 
sometimes he pursued his journey with wet towels 
folded over his neck and head. “At rare intervals, he 
could find shelter in some caravansary, erected for the 
benefit of travelers. ,, 

When he was in the beautiful, refined city of Shiraz, 
with its genial climate and charming scenery, his sink¬ 
ing system was once more braced for his labor of love. 
He at once began making the revision of his Persian 
New Testament. As his assistant he chose Mirza Khan, 
a patient and scholarly Persian; and the translation, be¬ 
gun in June, 1811, was completed on February 24, 1812. 
Besides translating, he taught the people the Word of 


HENRY MARTYN 


231 


God, receiving his audience in a booth in a garden. The 
Mohammedan and Soofeeist leaders attempted to trip him 
up in arguments; but he could answer all questions in 
such an earnest and convincing manner, that all felt that 
he was sapping the foundation of their faith. This roused 
them to a grand attempt at defense and he was challenged 
to a debate with their most learned professor of Moham¬ 
medanism. The challenge was accepted. A treatise 
supporting Mohammed and the Koran was issued; but 
Martyn, who now spoke Persic fluently, replied in a 
treatise, which completely sifted the claims of Moham¬ 
medanism and supported the Christian religion so 
strongly, that his antagonists were glad to proclaim a 
truce. 

Mr. Martyn was tireless in the performance of his 
labors, unto the end. He attempted to present the king 
a copy of his Persic Testament, but admittance was 
curtly denied him. He was now stricken with a burn¬ 
ing fever, and was kindly nursed by the English ambas¬ 
sador and his wife, until he recovered. He then con¬ 
cluded to visit England and, leaving manuscripts in the 
care of the English ambassador, set out for Constan¬ 
tinople, which was 1200 miles distant. 

The journey was very trying. He had overestimated 
his own strength and had underestimated the hardships 
of the journey. His escorts were a set of inhuman 
wretches, who seemed, without sympathy for him, to be 
hurrying him to death. “Alternately burning with fever 
and shivering with ague, at times almost frantic with 
agony, he was forced to pursue his journey on horse¬ 
back at a rate which would have tried the strength of a 
strong man; in some instances he was raised from a 
pallet, on which he lay prostrated by fever, to face the 


^32 SAMUEL MARSDEN 

fury of a tempest.” The strain was beyond what he 
could endure and, on the 16th of October, 1812, when 
but thirty-one years of age, he died, at Tocat, twenty- 
five miles from Constantinople. 

Claudius J. Rich, an English resident at Bagdad, 
in 1823 consecrated a stone to his memory, but more 
durable monuments are the lives of the Christians, 
brought to the light through his guidance, and his ver¬ 
sions of the New Testament, as well as his translation 
of the English liturgy, with the aid of which many a 
Christian congregation will, in future years, offer prayer 
and praises to their Lord and Redeemer. 


SAMUEL MARSDEN 

The “Apostle of New Zealand” 

This brave Yorkshireman, whom neither dangers 
nor difficulties could deter from performing what he 
considered his duty among cannibalistic savages, was born 
of humble parents at Horsforth, near Leeds, in 1764. 
He spent some time at the anvil; but also received an 
elementary education, after which he was placed under 
the tutorage of Dr. Milner of the Grammar School of 
Hull, where he evinced such literary talent and promise 
that he was adopted by the “Eland Society,” which 
sought young men of talent for the ministry, and was 
by it sent to St. John’s at Cambridge to complete his 
education. Before he had taken his degree here, how¬ 
ever, the offer of a colonial chaplaincy amongst the con¬ 
victs of New South Wales was made to him, through 
the influence of Mr. Wilberforce and Rev. Charles 
Simeon, who clearly perceived the fitness of this young 



SAMUEL MARSDEN 


233 


mechanic for the rough and difficult, yet noble and self- 
denying position. 

While waiting, with his newly wedded bride for the 
sailing of the ship which was to bear him to the new 
field alotted him, he entered the pulpit on Sunday 
morning; but before he could begin his sermon, the 
ship’s signal-gun fired, and after his parting benedic^ 
tion, he set out for the beach with his wife, accompanied 
by the whole congregation, and set sail amid their 
prayers and farewells. 

The work awaiting Marsden at Parmatta was very 
rough and unpleasant in many respects. “The colony 
was composed of the worst of felons and bush-rangers, 
the very scum and refuse of a vicious population, who 
had been banished from their own land for every con¬ 
ceivable crime, and for whose reformation and instruc¬ 
tion scarcely anything had been done.” The work thus 
was difficult enough to daunt the stoutest heart; but 
the heroic young chaplain, though thwarted constantly 
by those in authority, carried out the well-laid plans for 
the benefit of the reckless criminals and British popula¬ 
tion in his charge with the faith of a man who believes 
in the ultimate success of his mission. Through base self- 
interest the officials in power in the colony resisted all 
attempts made for the reformation of the criminals in 
their charge; and the devoted chaplain, as he persisted in 
his work, was assailed at every step by abuse, official 
misrepresentation and newspaper libels. Repeatedly he 
had to appeal to the laws of his country for protection 
and it was a consolation to him that it was with success 
on each occasion. Finally his persistent efforts won the 
approving notice of such philanthropists as Lord Gam- 
bier and Elizabeth Fry; and the moral and spiritual im- 


234 


SAMUEL MARSDEN 


provements of the colony, which he suggested, were 
then taken in hand by the government at home. 

In 1807, after fourteen years of labor, he visited Eng* 
land to lay his plans before the authorities and to plead 
the cause of New Zealand with the Church Missionary 
Society. In response to his appeal the Society placed 
under his charge two skilled mechanics, who were to visit 
the islands, establish friendly relations with the natives 
and to use the arts of civilization as an introduction to 
the Gospel of Christ* Thus he laid the foundation to one 
of the most remarkable missions of modern times. 

Though he did not lose sight of the despised Aus¬ 
tralian natives and even made frequent but abortive ef¬ 
forts for their evangelization, still his main attention 
was centered upon the New Zealanders. He found the 
latter, contrary to their general reputation in New South 
Wales, a noble type of savage, inquisitive and enterpris¬ 
ing; though constantly engaged in internecine wars and 
often stirred to murderous revenge upon the white peo¬ 
ple by the ill treatment received at their hands. One 
remarkable chieftain, Tippahee, with his four sons, visited 
the colony in 1806 and Marsden found in this tattooed 
cannibal a wonderful ability and a spirit anxious for 
the improvement of his people. He sent him back laden 
with seeds, tools and useful gifts, and thus prepared the 
way for the execution of his nobler projects. 

Through God’s providence, Marsden’s own kindness 
gained him an entrance into New Zealand and to the 
hearts of its cannibals. On his return voyage to Port 
Jackson, with his two associates, he met on the ship a 
poor, sickly New Zealander, who had been enticed on the 
ship by English sailors, who promised him that he should 
see the white man’s country. Being cruelly treated and 


SAMUEL MARSDEN 


235 


overworked and then left in poverty and sickness to find 
his way back as best he could, he was now returning 
home when Marsden found him. Under the missionary’s 
care and tender treatment he soon regained his health 
and gratefully promised his valuable services in aid to 
Marsden’s Christian enterprise. Valuable services they 
were, indeed; for it was found that this mistreated wretch 
was Ruatara, a nephew of Tippahee, a powerful chief, 
and that he was endowed with many of his uncle’s no¬ 
blest qualities and with earnest desire for the advance¬ 
ment of his people. 

The enthusiastic missionary now wished to visit these 
people at once; but his enterprise was unexpectedly ar¬ 
rested by the disastrous news of the merchantman 
“Boyd,” which, having put into the harbor of Whan- 
garoa, had been plundered by the natives, and all the 
passengers and crew had been murdered and devoured. 
The terrible tragedy, as was afterwards ascertained, was 
in revenge for a most wanton provocation given by the 
captain to a young chief, who had been aboard. Terrible 
reprisals, nevertheless, followed. Some whalers, hearing 
of the loss of the “Boyd,” determined to avenge it and be¬ 
ing unable to distinguish the innocent from the guilty, at¬ 
tacked Tippahee in the Bay of Islands, put his people to 
the sword and burnt their homes. This naturally in¬ 
censed the natives to such a degree that, for some time, 
Marsden could not venture to visit the island. 

At length the two mechanics ventured to the shores 
of New Zealand and, being joyfully received, returned 
to Marsden at Port Jackson with Rautara and his friends. 
The good chaplain now saw that the time was ripe for 
his long contemplated work, but he could find no ship 
captain but one who would transport him and his party 


236 


SAMUEL MARSDEN 


to the land of cannibals; and that one asked six hundred 
pounds for the single venture. As this was beyond the 
means at the chaplain’s disposal, he, at his own risk, 
purchased the little brig “Active,” the first of those mis¬ 
sionary vessels which have since then been of so much 
service in the spreading of the Gospel. 

On November, 1814, he embarked, with a motley 
crew of Europeans, New Zealanders and various ani¬ 
mals, and dropped anchor on the day before Christmas in 
the Bay of Islands, near the scenes of recent blood-shed 
and horror. The natives were at war, and Marsden saw 
that, if he went first to Rautara’s friends, it would be 
misrepresented by their enemies, the Whangaroans, as an 
act of partiality. He must show himself a friend to both ; 
so he determined to land unarmed amongst the Whan¬ 
garoans and to spend the night wfth only one other per¬ 
son in their company. 

Perhaps no missionary has ever undertaken a braver 
deed than that performed by Marsden when he landed 
among the Whangaroans. Ruataura, knowing the un¬ 
scrupulous ferocity of his race, and that they were now 
burning with the spirit of revenge on account of the 
recent dastardly deed of the white whalers, did all he 
could to dissuade the missionary; but in vain. The 
sight which met Marsden’s eyes as he advanced was 
anything but assuring. A band of naked warriors, 
armed with clubs and spears, appeared on a hill before 
him. Presently a native advanced and, flourishing a red 
mat, cried, “Haromai! haromai!” (“Come hither! come 
hither!”) Then the warriors advanced. Their decora¬ 
tions were horrible. Some wore necklaces made of the 
teeth of unfortunate enemies, and others were decorated 
with silver dollars plundered from the dead people of 


SAMUEL MARSDEN 


237 


the Boyd, while their naked bodies were covered with 
gaudily tattooed designs. Demonic screams and cries 
now resounded on every side, and with horribly dis¬ 
torted features the incarnate demons began gesticulat¬ 
ing wildly with every limb. This was their welcome to 
him! The name of “Marsden,” “the friend of the 
Maories,” had reached them from Paramatta through 
their countrymen, and they were welcoming him with 
their war-dance. That night he passed on the island, 
surrounded by the wild cannibals and the next day, 
Christmas day, he preached of God’s great gift to man, 
under the open sky, from a rude pulpit erected by the 
natives for the purpose. Such was the entrance of the 
Gospel into New Zealand. 

From that time onwards, for over a quarter of a 
century Marsden waged unceasing battle with vice, 
ignorance and all the evils of heathenism. The Active 
passed to and fro continually between Port Jackson 
and the mission carrying, from time to time, fresh la¬ 
borers to the field and bringing over young and 
intelligent natives to be trained. Seven times the noble- 
hearted man crossed over himself to the field, to install 
new workers, open up schools, conciliate enemies at 
war and always to proclaim the Gospel of God and to 
further His work. At first the work seemed fruitless, 
but at length a spirit of inquiry was manifested and then 
one chief was baptized and then another, and the people 
followed their example. Houses of prayer sprang up; 
the incessant warring ceased; honest labor was begun 
and the people adopted the habits of civilization. 

After a seventh and last visit to his dear New 
Zealanders, when the native Christians received the old 
patriarch with tears of joy, and even the heathens ex- 


238 


ROBERT MOFFAT 


pressed their joy over the reappearance of their bene¬ 
factor in war-dances and the firing of muskets, the end 
drew nigh and on May 8, 1838, Samuel Marsden 
departed hence to the eternal world. His last words, 
spoken in response to a remark on the preciousness of 
a good hope in Christ, were, “Precious, precious 
preciousand so died the founder of one of the grandest 
missions of the century, to whom, under God, Great 
Britain owes both the colony and the church of New 
Zealand. 


ROBERT MOFFAT 

Christ’s Messenger to Africa 

An anxious Christian mother was talking earnestly 
to her rather lively sixteen-year-old son. He was leav¬ 
ing home to take a position as an under-gardener, and 
the fond mother wished him to make her a promise 
before leaving. He did not wish to promise until she 
had stated her request. “Oh, Robert,” she pleaded, 
“can you think for a moment that I shall ask of you, 
my son, to do anything that is not right? Do not I 
love you?” 

“Yes, mother, I know you do; but I do not like to 
make promises which I may not be able to fulfill,” he 
replied; but when he saw her eyes fill with tears, he 
quickly said: “Oh, mother, ask what you will and I 
shall do it.” 

“I only ask,” she said, “that you will read a chapter 
in the Bible every morning and another every evening.” 

“Mother,” he interrupted her, “you know I read my 
Bible.” She replied, “I know you do, but you do not 
read it regularly, or as a duty you owe to God, its 



ROBERT MOFFAT 


239 


author. Now I shall return home with a happy heart, 
inasmuch as you have promised to read the Scriptures 
daily. Oh, Robert, my son, read much in the New 
Testament. Read much in the Gospels, the blessed 
Gospels, then you cannot well go astray.” Such was the 
tender solicitude of the devoted mother for the welfare 
of her son, and he did not forget his promise to her. 
Though there were times when he mingled in the gay 
amusements of worldly companions, among whom he 
easily became a leader, he never forgot his morning 
and evening chapter in the Bible. 

One day while Robert was walking from his place 
of work to a neighboring town, he noticed on a bridge 
that he was crossing a placard announcing a missionary 
meeting. The novel notice interested him, and he read 
it over and over, while there surged through his mind 
memories of missionary stories which his mother was 
wont to read to her children in the evenings, and of the 
missionary impulses of his childhood. From that 
moment he was resolved to turn from the worldly 
prospects and to become a missionary. 

Successful in his struggles and studies, he set sail 
for Africa in 1817, when not yet twenty-one years of 
age. He was assigned to Namaqualand, the territory 
of the fierce chieftain Afrikaner, the terror of the sur¬ 
rounding country, a brutal savage noted for rapine, 
murder and lust and destruction. The noble young mis¬ 
sionary, however, traveled on into the interior, nothing 
daunted, over dreary wastes of burning sand, famished 
with hunger and parched with thirst, kept constantly 
alert by howling hyenas and roaring lions, but especially 
by the prowling Bushmen ever ready to attack the 
defenseless. 


240 


ROBERT MOFFAT 


While on the way, Young Moffat stopped with a 
rich Boer farmer, who requested a service. When the 
Bible and Psalm book had been brought and the family 
were seated, the missionary asked, “May none of your 
servants come in?” 

“Servants! What do you mean?” 

“I mean the Hottentots, of whom I see so many on 
your farm.” 

“Hottentots!” cried the surprised man. “Are you 
come to preach to the Hottentots? Go to the mountains 
and preach to the baboons; or, if you like, I’ll fetch my 
dogs and you may preach to them.” 

Moffat wisely said no more, but with consummate 
tact read of the Syrophoenician woman, and chose as his 
text the words, “Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the 
crumbs that fall from their masters’ tables.” Soon the 
missionary was interrupted by the farmer, who cried out: 
“Will Mynherr sit down and wait a little?—he shall have 
the Hottentots.” Soon the astonished negroes were 
ushered in and had a sermon, and the Boer avowed all 
objections concerning preaching to them to have 
vanished. 

Arrived at the krall of the terrible Afrikaner in 
January, 1818, Moffat was hospitably received by Mr. 
Ebner, a missionary already stationed there, and when 
the chief learned that the newly arrived missionary had 
been sent by the directors in London, he had his women 
put up a house for him in a half an hour. Of course, it 
afforded some protection, but it sheltered him little from 
drenching rain, scorching sun, raiding cattle, or biting* 
dogs and snakes. Until he was able to raise some 
vegetables, he had to subsist on dried meat and milk. 
To make matters worse, Mr. Ebner soon moved, and 


ROBERT MOFFAT 


241 


he was left alone in the midst of the ignorant, super¬ 
stitious and cruelly jealous savages. Encouragement 
soon came, however, and from an unexpected quarter. 
Afrikaner became regular in his attendance at the daily 
services, and began to read his New Testament as well 
as he could. The terrible lion became as meek as a lamb, 
and instead of destructive war, he sought to make peace 
throughout his domains. When the missionary became 
sick, he personally nursed him as tenderly as he knew 
how, and upon his return to the Cape accompanied him 
as a living testimony of the refining grace of God. One 
farmer, upon seeing this wonder, exclaimed, “Oh, God, 
what a miracle of thy power! What cannot thy grace 
accomplish!” 

At the Cape Moffat met his betrothed, Mary Smith, 
and after their happy marriage they went to a new field 
in the valley of the Kuruman among the Bechwanas, a 
jealous, sensual and superstitious people, who had no 
idea of God, who observed no idolatrous rites and who 
saw nothing better in the customs of the missionaries 
than in their own. Consequently the Gospel message 
made no impression upon them and they seldom entered 
the church, but persisted in their polygamy, robbery, 
lying and murder without compunction of conscience 
if they escaped punishment. 

At one time, when the country was suffering from 
a long drouth and the professional rain-maker had gone 
through his antics in vain, Moffat was accused of having 
frightened the rain away. A chief man and a dozen 
attendants came to the missionaries* house and informed 
them that they desired their departure and assured them 
that measures of violence would be resorted to if they 
disobeyed. They received the answer that the mission- 


242 


ROBERT MOFFAT 


aries would have been sorry to leave, but they were now 
determined to stay* The Master had bidden them to flee 
from one city to another if persecuted, but this they did 
not consider persecution. Then, throwing open his 
waistcoat, Moffat stood erect and fearless as he spoke: 
“Now then, if you will, drive your spears to my heart, 
and when you have slain me my companions will know 
that the hour has come for them to depart.” 

The natives were astonished. “These men must have 
ten lives, when they are so fearless of death,” they said. 
“There must be something in immortality.” 

After ten years’ painful labor in this field, Moffat 
baptized his first six converts. With renewed zeal he 
continued the difficult labor, ever developing the work 
of the mission in many directions. By visits to sur¬ 
rounding tribes he opened fields for other missionaries, 
and in spare time he translated portions of the Bible, 
which he completed in 1870. To have it printed, he was 
persuaded to take it to England, and, being now an old 
man, he did not expect to return, but bade his sorrow¬ 
ing people farewell, as they came from far and near to 
catch one last glimpse of his venerable face and of that 
of his revered wife. As the wagon drove away, a long 
pitiful wail arose from the natives, who realized that 
they were giving up their loving teacher and friend. 

The great and godlike man departed to his rest on 
August 9, 1883, but his work was continued by other 
hands. Now the scene of Robert Moffat’s trials and 
triumphs is surrounded by native towns and villages, 
clustering about the Moffat Institute, where native 
teachers are trained, who go out into the surrounding 
world, dispelling the darkness of superstition and 
ignorance and leading the heathen to Christ. 


WILLIAM MOISTER 

God’s Messenger to the Island of St. Mary 

As the brig containing the missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. 
Moister, neared the Island of St. Mary in the mouth 
of the Gambia river, the mission converts gathered 
along the shore to welcome them. Some of them 
rushed into the water when the boat neared the landing 
place, and carried them ashore, where a crowd of 
negroes gathered about them weeping for joy and 
exclaiming fervently, “Tank God, tank God! Mr. 
Marshall die, but God send us nuder minister. ,, 

The missionaries began their work with light and 
hopeful hearts. The reception had been delightful. The 
place, too, was beautiful; for beneath the tall and stately 
pines lay a verdure deep and rich, adorned with flowers 
of the most brilliant hues. The beautiful scenery gave 
no indication that this was a land of death. 

They soon saw fruits of their faithful teaching and 
preaching. Many souls sought Jesus, while their chil¬ 
dren soon learned to read and sew—and pray. 

After a few months Mr. Moister felt that he should 
ascend the river Gambia to preach Jesus in a trading 
settlement there located. Therefore, for his beloved 
Master’s sake risking the dangers of death by murder or 
fever, and leaving his brave young wife behind in 
similar danger to take care of the children in their 
schools, he sailed up the river in a little sloop. When 
he went ashore the negroes, believing him to be a slave 
trader, fled. They had never yet seen a missionary. He, 
however, soon won the confidence of a few, and the 
others then returned also. The children gathered about 
him, surprised at the whiteness of his skin, felt of his 
hand and asked, “Is the white man all white, or are 


243 


244 


WILLIAM MOISTER 


only his hands and face of that color ?” To satisfy them, 
he turned up his coat sleeves, and, clapping their hands 
gleefully, they cried to each other, “He is every bit 
white. We never saw such a fine white man.” When 
he spoke to the natives about God, they only smiled and 
said, “White man’s religion is good for white man; 
black man’s religion is good for black man.” When 
he spoke, however, they listened. 

Pressing onward despite a fearful tornado, which 
warned him of the approaching rainy season, he was 
painfully annoyed by the vile natives, who crowded 
about the sloop in canoes, crying for sugar and rum. 
The white slave-traders who had preceded him had dis¬ 
graced their race and name by distributing the deadly 
fire-water among the natives. He told the wretched 
savages that he had come to deal out the water of life 
and not of death; and after spending a week or two at 
a village on M’Carthy’s Island he found the people so 
interested in his preaching that they begged him to 
return or send them a “white minister.” 

During her husband’s absence, Mrs. Moister was 
annoyed and frightened by parties of natives who came 
to “pay their respects to their white minister.” The 
information that the minister was not at home only 
brought the reply, “Then we wish to see the white lady 
so the savage, half-nude creatures filed in, squatted on 
the floor around the woman’s chair and gazed with 
curious eyes upon her, the only white woman on the 
island, still holding in their hands their spears and war 
clubs. No wonder that her voice trembled as she asked, 
“Why have you come here? What do you want?” The 
stolid reply was, “We have come to pay you compliment, 
ma’am.” Then she told them of Jesus, and gave them 


WILLIAM M01STER 


245 


some pieces of red cloth, a few needles and some beads. 
They were well pleased, and with many bows and grim¬ 
aces they filed out. 

The missionaries , worst enemy was the deadly fever. 
On a Sunday evening it smote Mrs. Moister, and sent her 
blood coursing through her veins like liquid fire. Her 
husband hurried to the doctor of the colony, and all in 
the power of medical skill was done; but the young 
woman only sank lower and lower. Hope was chang¬ 
ing to despair, when the Master suddenly touched the 
fountains of her vital forces and she slowly recovered. 

Following her the minister was stricken. Realizing 
this he battled mightily against the disease, but he was 
no match against the terrible coast fever, and was 
brought to the brink of the grave. His physician 
watched him closely. His negro converts held prayer 
meetings night after night, pleading for his recovery. The 
crisis came, and he, too, rallied and recovered. 

The missionary had hardly left his bed when the 
fierce war-cry of the Mandingo tribes resounded through 
the island. Owing to the vast numbers of the savages 
and the smallness of the British force holding St. Mary's 
Island, their mission field was in great danger. Stone 
was carried for the erection of a fort, while Mrs. 
Moister and her school girls made sand bags for bat¬ 
teries. The principal fighting was done within sight 
of the Island and the dead and wounded were brought 
in after every conflict. The noise and carnage of war 
almost broke up the mission schools while the congrega¬ 
tion grew small and irregular. Happily, however, some 
English war vessels came and, routing the Mandingoes, 
restored peace in the island. 

Our missionary now resumed his labors, happy that 


246 


ROBERT MORRISON 


his beloved wife and also his mission field had been 
restored to him by the grace of God. Often while on 
his missionary journeys he had to sleep in damp, filthy 
huts or perhaps in open sheds, exposed to reptiles and 
insects; but he did this cheerfully, for did he not do this 
for Jesus, who had given his life for him? 

Two years of hardship and faithful work, interrupted 
by frequent attacks of fever, so weakened the mission¬ 
aries that, on the brink of the grave, they felt that they 
must leave the country or die. They had led almost 
a hundred of those degraded Africans to their Savior, 
but now others had come to take the missionaries’ 
places, so they bade farewell to their weeping converts 
and, taking a ship, returned safely to their native land. 

Surely, as long as men and women will endure 
hardness, as did these noble souls, in the mission field, 
those who love Christ will not refuse to give the money 
needed to send them forth to reap God’s harvest in the 
fields already standing white awaiting the reaper. 


ROBERT MORRISON 

The Pioneer of Protestant Missions in China 

The fifteenth of January, 1782, is a day that will 
long be remembered by the friends of the missionary 
cause as the birthday of the great Robert Morrison. He 
was born in Morpeth, Northumberland, England; but in 
1785, his parents removed to Newcastle—upon Tyne, 
where he passed his youthful days. Under the influence 
of religious parents and of the Rev. John Hutton, Robert’s 
thoughts were early turned to religion and to a better 
life, while secular education was also not neglected. 
Elementary instruction was given by a maternal uncle, 



ROBERT MORRISON 


247 


during the progress of which the youthful student 
evinced a thirst for knowledge, which foretold a great 
man. 

The turning point in his life was his conversion, 
when he was sixteen years of age. A great deal of time 
was now spent in visiting the poor and the sick and in 
instructing the ignorant. In 1801, he felt God’s call to 
the ministry of the Gospel, and had a desire to become 
a foreign missionary. Accordingly he entered Hoxton 
Academy to prepare for the work. His mother, shocked 
when he intimated his desire to her, declared that she 
could not be separated from her boy; so Robert prom¬ 
ised to remain at home during his mother’s life-time. 
This proved not to be very long, for she died the next 
year. 

The London Missionary Society accepted him in 1804. 
His desire to enter the most difficult field, China, was 
granted, and he now went to London to study astronomy, 
medicine and the Chinese language; the latter subject 
under Yong-Sam-Tak, a Chinese of some education. 
Though his father pleaded with Morrison to change his 
plan and to help him in keeping up his failing business, 
and though the lady of his heart broke her engagement 
with him when she heard of his intention to go to 
China, he remained fixed in his purpose, knowing it to 
be the Lord’s will, and was ordained on the first of 
January. 

Because the East India Company was hostile to, and 
refused to transport missionaries, he set sail for New 
York on January 31. Arriving there, he set sail thence 
for China in an American ship on May 12, bearing letters 
for the Secretary of State, which requested him to favor 
the bearer’s work as far as was practicable. 


248 


ROBERT MORRISON 


Arriving at Canton, he found himself in a great, 
walled city, surrounded by countless multitudes of sus¬ 
picious heathens, with no common belief or religion, he 
alone, suspected, hated and shunned generally, striving 
to introduce a new religion and thus to break down the 
customs of ages, which were introduced by the wor¬ 
shipped ancestors of these conservative Chinese. The 
East India Company, not favoring the missionary enter¬ 
prise, refused to shelter him, while the Chinese were 
forbidden, under penalty of death, to befriend a foreigner 
or to teach him their language. Even in this strait, 
however, he was not to be discouraged and managed to 
rent confined quarters in the American Factory at an 
exorbitant price. As his teacher he secured the Chinese 
Roman Catholic Abel Yun. 

He remained quietly in his room, daring to take little 
out-door exercise. When the Americans, in whose name 
he had found some protection, became uneasy he 
assumed the Chinese garb, mingled with these people, 
ate with them and spoke their tongue exclusively, 
which, however, was prejudicial to his health and could 
not be practised long. His servants were his congrega¬ 
tion in his religious services, which had to be held behind 
locked doors, and upon these he prayerfully expended 
his efforts as a missionary. Close application to work 
and his economy soon preyed upon his health, and in 
1808 a removal to Macao for recuperation became neces¬ 
sary. When, after a three months’ visit, his health had 
improved, he returned to Canton; but all Englishmen had 
been barred from the city and he was forced to return 
to Macao. He now turned his attention towards the 
acquiring of the Chinese language with such intense 
application as only a Robert Morrison was capable of. 


ROBERT MORRISON 


249 


Even his secret prayers were uttered in Chinese, in order 
that he might become perfect in the language. Here 
also he did not venture out of doors, fearing detection 
by the Chinese or by the bigoted Romanists. Con¬ 
sequently he lost much strength, until finally, it is said, 
he could with difficulty walk his room. 

He now made progress in different lines. A Chinese 
grammar, upon which he had been working, was now 
fininshed- In 1809, he became acquainted with Dr- Mor¬ 
ton, from Ireland, whose daughter later became his wife. 
Later the factory of the East India Company appointed 
him as their translator, at a salary of five hundred pounds 
sterling, which dispersed trouble as to the permanence 
of his station and the payment of his expenses. One 
year later one thousand copies of the Chinese version 
of the Acts of the Apostles were printed and distributed. 

In 1810, sorrow entered his home in the death of his 
first son. This was followed, in 1812, by an edict issued 
by the Chinese government, denouncing death upon all 
propagators of the Christian religion and banishment 
upon its converts. Still Morrison was not frightened off 
the field, although he informed the Society and the latter 
decided to send a colleague, the Reverend W. Milne, to 
assist him. He arrived on July 4, 1813, and his presence 
was a source of present and of anticipated happiness to 
Morrison; but how great was the disappointment, when 
the Portuguese authorities, under the direction of the 
Roman bishops and clergy, ordered Milne to leave in 
eighteen days! The agents of the East India Company 
did not interfere in their translator’s favor, so Milne 
removed to Canton. Morrison’s own name was now 
discovered to the government authorities; but, as he was 
in the employment of the East India Company, he was 


250 


ROBERT MORRISON 


not molested in any way, excepting that his assistants 
were ordered to be arrested and therefore had to be dis¬ 
missed to be saved from punishment. 

Still, the work went on undisturbed. After the New 
Testament had been completed in September, the print¬ 
ing of it was carried on secretly. At the same time an 
outline was made of the Old Testament history to aid in 
the missionary work. In 1814, Mr. Morrison had the 
joy of baptizing Tsae A. Fo, who was his first convert 
after seven years of labor. In the following year the 
book of Genesis was translated and printed. 

Mrs. Morrison’s health was now failing and, accord¬ 
ing to medical advice, she was sent to England with her 
two children that she might recuperate. Though the 
separation was sorrowful, Morrison did not permit his 
feelings to overcome him, and soon afterwards received 
an appointment as secretary to Lord Amherst on an 
embassy to the court at Pekin, which opportunity he 
gladly seized in order to study the people. 

Morrison was now at the busiest period of his life. 
He wrote a book entitled “Horae Sinicae,” upon China 
and its literature. He also founded an Anglo-Chinese 
college at Malacca, to which he himself contributed a 
little fortune, besides giving many valuable books. In 
1819, he finished his translation of the Old and New 
Testaments, of which he himself translated the New 
Testament and twenty-six books of the Old Testament. 

This period of prosperity was soon followed by grief. 
Morrison’s family rejoined him in 1820, but only for a 
short time. Mrs. Morrison became sick immediately 
afterwards, and in 1821 passed away. The children 
were sent back to England and Mr. Morrison was left 
more lonely than ever before. To this loss was added, 


ROBERT MORRISON 


251 


in the next year, the death of his co-laborer and intimate 
friend, Mr. Milne, which left him lonesome indeed. 

After serving as an official interpreter in negotiations 
between the English and Chinese governments, he set sail 
for England. Arriving there, he was received with an 
enthusiasm wholly unexpected. Benevolent societies, 
other public bodies and distinguished individuals united 
in honoring the path-finder of the mission world. Even 
the king received him with marked attention, and when 
he preached in Newcastle, crowds thronged to hear him. 
He worked to deepen their interest in his mission and 
published several essays on the Chinese language. 

In 1826, after he had married a second time, he 
returned to Canton with his wife and children. From 
now on his work was mostly devoted to missionary labors 
exclusively. In 1830, upon his appeal to America, assist¬ 
ance arrived from that country. After the dissolution of 
the East India Company, he was appointed Chinese 
secretary and interpreter, with a salary of over six thou¬ 
sand dollars. Constant worry, however, and vexatious 
negotiations broke down his already weak constitution 
and on the first of August, 1834, he passed away. 

Friends of missions the world over united in tributes 
of highest esteem and sorrow. Though his work was to 
lay a foundation, without the hope of seeing a super¬ 
structure, and to forge weapons which were to be be¬ 
queathed to others for use—a naturally arduous and dis¬ 
heartening task—Morrison was not discouraged at the 
prospect, and, feeling its hardships in its progress, though 
sad, never fainted. Beyond accomplishing the task set 
before him by the society—the translation of the Scrip¬ 
tures and the preparation of a Chinese-English diction¬ 
ary —he gathered into the church ten sincere converts 


252 


GEORGE MUELLER 


and was permitted to ordain one of these to the ministry. 
When the millions of that idolatrous empire are won 
for the Lord, and the living God is recognized as having 
the only true claim to worship, all must recognize that, 
of human agency, first place belongs to the pioneer of 
protestant missions in that country, Robert Morrison. 


GEORGE MUELLER 

A Hero of Faith and Prayer 

George Mueller, the great faith hero of modern times, 
was born at Kroppenstadt, Prussia, September 27, 1805; 
though his youth was passed at Heimersleben, whither 
his father removed in 1810, upon receiving an appoint¬ 
ment as collector of the excise. His parents, having 
decided to make him a Lutheran minister, sent him, with 
his elder brother to a classical school at Halberstadt for 
preparation; but he took no pleasure in religious occupa¬ 
tion, and spent his time in novel reading and other sinful 
practices. Even the death of his mother made no impres¬ 
sion on him; but, on the contrary, he sank continually 
deeper in dissipation, and guilt, and even practised dis¬ 
honesty with his father. When, in 1821, his father re¬ 
moved to Magdenburg, George persuaded Him to let him 
remain in Heimersleben, for several months, and thus he 
was left without restraint. In November of that year 
he obtained a leave of absence from his tutor, on false 
pretences, and went to neighboring towns, living at 
hotels in an expensive manner, until all his money had 
been expended. On his way back he pursued the same 
course, but, being suspected, he was followed; and when 
he attempted to run away, leaving his debt unpaid, he 



GEORGE MUELLER 


253 


was arrested and imprisoned, on December 18, 1821, and 
remained in prison about one month, until his father 
paid all his debts. 

In October, 1822, he entered the school at Nord- 
hausen, where he studied diligently and won the admira¬ 
tion of teachers and scholars alike; but still he was un¬ 
happy and dissatisfied. In his soul there was a craving, 
an uneasy feeling, which he did not understand and 
which, despite many attempts now made, worldly pleas¬ 
ures and diversions could not dispel. Though he had 
three hundred books of his own, he now had no Bible, 
and had no religious instruction whatever. 

God, in his goodness, however, had mercy upon him. 
One Sunday afternoon, in November, 1825, while he 
was walking with a university friend, named Beta, who 
had found the Lord, the latter mentioned that a Chris¬ 
tian man at Hall was holding meetings every Sunday 
evening. Instantly Mueller believed that he had found 
the remedy for his unquiet feelings, and asked his friend 
to conduct him to the meeting that evening. Beta, 
though at first unwilling, promised to do so. At the 
meeting, the kneeling in earnest prayer, the Scripture 
passages read and the hymns sung deeply moved the 
troubled Mueller. He recognized that only the blood 
of Jesus could cleanse his guilty soul and save him from 
eternal damnation, and, throwing himself wholly upon 
God's mercy, was pardoned of all sins. 

He at once entered upon a new life, determined to do 
something in return for the merciful kindness of his 
Redeemer. He now read the Bible diligently and led 
an earnest, prayerful life, facing, without shame, the 
taunts and ridicule of his former associates. One day, 
when he urged two friends to accept the Lord, and they 


254 


GEORGE MUELLER 


replied, “We do not feel that we are sinners/’ he knelt 
clown in their presence and asked the Lord to convince 
them of their perverted, sinful natures. Going to his 
bedroom, he continued to pray for them and, upon re¬ 
turning, he found them in tears. The Spirit of God had 
worked upon their hearts, in answer to his prayer. 

Mueller was interested in missions and eagerly read 
the missionary papers. The accounts therein of noble 
sacrifices and self-denial aroused him to enthusiasm. 
The example of a devoted young servant of Christ, more¬ 
over, who gave his life as a missionary to the Jews in 
Poland, made a deep impression on him, and determined 
him to surrender his whole life unreservedly to the will 
of God. 

Up to this period, Mueller had never preached; but, 
when asked to assist an aged clergyman, in a village 
six miles distant from Hall, he consented to preach 
at several services. His first sermon was carefully 
written out, and was delivered on August 27, 1826; but 
it evidently took little effect on his audience. On the 
same day it was repeated in another church, with a 
similar lack of success. He determined to try again; 
but this time to place all things in the Lord’s hands, 
even the delivery of the sermon. Accordingly he selected 
the first six verses of Matthew v. as his text; and without 
study or extra preparation, he determined to preach as 
the Holy Spirit might enable him. He had scarcely 
commenced his exposition, before he was consciously 
assisted by the Holy Spirit; and he was enabled to 
speak with so much liberty, joy and power, that his 
hearers were visibly impressed. 

In 1828, Mr. Mueller went to London, in connection 
with the London Missionary Society, to promote Chris- 


GEORGE MUELLER 


255 


tianity among the Jews, About two months after his 
arrival, however, extreme application resulted in illness 
and necessitated a removal to Devonshire. Here he was 
greatly benefited by intercourse with a London minister; 
and he also made great progress spiritually while study¬ 
ing the Bible. Upon his return he found it difficult to 
restrict his ministrations to the Jews, and therefore con¬ 
scientiously terminated his connection with the Mission¬ 
ary Society, which had sent him to preach to the Jews. 

He now became pastor of a church at Teignmouth, 
Devonshire, where he at first received a small salary 
for his services; but, after some time, having con¬ 
scientious scruples about accepting it, he refused it and 
thereafter trusted to the Lord to put it into the hearts 
of his people to send him sufficient temporal support. 
Since that time, he never received any salary and, 
though he had no property, he was never forsaken. On 
October 7, 1830, he was united in marriage with Miss 
Mary Groves, who was a great assistance to him in his 
labors for the Lord. 

After a two years’ residence at Teignmouth, Mr. 
Mueller, believing it the Lord’s will, removed to Bristol, 
to assist Mr. Craik in the ministry of the Gospel. Their 
labors were blessed with many conversions, until 1866, 
when Mr- Craik died, leaving Mr. Mueller to continue the 
work, which he did prayerfully with gratifying success. 

He noticed destitute, neglected children running 
about the streets, with no one to care for their souls’ 
salvation, and his heart yearned to care for their tem¬ 
poral and spiritual wants; but such a decided step 
seemed beyond his power. Still the heroic man, had 
boundless faith in his almighty Father and brought the 
matter to Him in prayer, confident of an answer. 


2$6 


GEORGE MUELLER 


At last, in 1834, he founded the “Scriptural Knowl¬ 
edge Institution for Home and Abroad,” to establish 
and maintain Christian schools, to circulate the Bible and 
Christian literature and to aid missionary operations; 
while in the following year the orphan work was es¬ 
tablished. His strictly honest and conscientious char¬ 
acter is reflected in the two principles of the latter 
institution, that debt should never be incurred, and that 
no rich man should be the institution’s patron; but that 
God alone should be at its head. 

Mr. Mueller did not cease praying for the poor or¬ 
phans, who were only too abundant in Bristol. He prayed 
for a house, for suitable helpers and for one thousand 
pounds sterling. The first answer came on the very next 
day, December 6, 1835, in the form of one shilling, from 
a poor missionary visiting at his house. Large and small 
contributions were now added, until he could rent a house 
on Wilson Street, St. Paul’s. When this was filled, an¬ 
other house was rented, fitted up and furnished, and in 
nine months, a third house. In March, 1843, a fourth 
house was rented; but in about two years Mr. Mueller 
was requested to remove the children from Wilson 
Street, since their noise disturbed the neighbors. 

After much deliberation and prayer for guidance, he 
determined to build a large Orphan-house for three hun¬ 
dred children. Soon the first donation of 1000 pounds was 
received. Through providential guidance, he was enabled 
to purchase a seven-acre tract of land at a cheap rate. 
A Christian architect now offered to superintend the 
building gratuitously, as well as make the draught for 
it, and on June 18, 1849, the “New Orphan-house, No. 1 
on Ashley Down,” was opened, and a surplus of over 
600 pounds remained from the building fund. Not nearly 


GEORGE MUELLER 


2 57 


all the children who sought admission were yet cared for, 
and Mr. Mueller determined to build two more orphanges 
for 850 children, though the cost would be forty thou¬ 
sand pounds. Despite particular trials connected with 
the enlargement of his work, he unwaveringly trusted 
in God for his strength and help, and not in vain. After 
six years Orphan-house No. 2 was completed, and after 
five years, No. 3 was ready, with 1,400 pounds from the 
building fund remaining in hand. Later two more houses 
containing 450 children each were opened, No. 5 being 
finished in the year, 1869. 

The Lord was unmistakably the helper and support 
of Mr. Mueller in these great enterprises. Confiding 
prayer, and prayer alone, was the means of founding and 
sustaining the great institutions, which Mr. Mueller 
undertook to found. Though nobody was ever asked to 
contribute one farthing towards the work, still the 
stupendous amounts necessary were all voluntarily con¬ 
tributed. On the building of the five orphan-houses alone 
seven hundred and fourteen thousand, one hundred and 
twenty-two pounds were expended, which, estimating 
roughly, is equivalent to three million, four hundred and 
seventy thousand dollars in United States money, while 
immense sums were required to support these and other 
Christian institutions. 

In the seventieth year of his life, Mr. Mueller and his 
wife began the first of their eleven great tours through 
Europe, Asia, America, Asia Minor and Australia. On 
all of these tours they encouraged and helped the mis¬ 
sionaries and preached the Gospel to large and attentive 
audiences. 

Though now an old man, Mr. Mueller was still re¬ 
markably strong and was still active in his benevolent 


258 


GEORGE MUELLER 


work. From May, 1892, when his last mission tour 
closed, he devoted himself mainly to the work of the 
Scriptural Knowledge Institution, and to preaching at 
Bethesda and elsewhere, as God seemed to appoint. 
Towards the close of his life, however, acting under 
medical advice, he abated somewhat in his activities, 
though he still preached once every Sunday. 

On the evening of March 9, 1898, he took his wonted 
place at the Orphan House prayer meeting, seemingly 
as well as ever, and, upon retiring, declined a night 
attendant, who was offered him, on account of signs of 
heart-weakness noticed in him of late. On the following 
morning the attendant, bringing a cup of tea to him, 
found him dead beside his bed; he had, according to the 
statement of the physician, who was summoned at once, 
died several hours before of heart failure. 

He had died after a ministry of sixty-six years, when 
ninety-two years of age. His remains were silently 
followed by sorrowing friends and by weeping orphan 
children, to Arno’s Vale cemetery, where he was laid to 
his last rest. Hearts bled all over the globe, when it was 
announced, by telegraph wire and ocean cable, that 
George Mueller was dead. “He belonged to the whole 
church and the whole world, in a unique sense; and the 
whole race of man sustained a loss when he died.” It 
has been truthfully said, that the influence of George 
Mueller could not be measured by meridians and long- 
titudes. 


DR. ROBERT H. NASSAU 

An Encounter With an Angry Elephant 

In his missionary career in Western Africa, the great 
missionary, Dr. Nassau had dealings with animals as 
well as with men, one of which, an encounter with an 
elephant, almost cost his life. 

One day the camp in which he was working was 
thrown into the wildest excitement by the news that 
a herd of ten elephants was approaching and could be 
seen quietly feeding in a grove about half a mile distant. 
Men, women and children at once ran to the scene of 
action, with their mouths already watering at the thought 
of a possible, but rare feast of elephant's meat. 

At the grove every precaution was taken to avoid 
failure in the hunt. First a fence was built around the 
entire grove by means of saplings cut and stuck into the 
ground at intervals and strong vines tied from tree to 
tree. The unsuspecting brutes thus firmly enclosed, the 
witch-doctors were next consulted as to the best time 
for attack and for prayers to the spirits for assistance 
in the hunt. 

After some time of impatient waiting, the time 
appointed by the witch-doctors arrived. The chief came 
to Dr. Nassau and begged him to help them. 

“You can help us so much,” he said, “you are such 
a good shot and your rifle is new and trusty, while ours 
are old and unreliable.” 

The doctor did not wait for a second invitation, for 
he knew that any assistance rendered the people in such 
an occasion of danger would greatly increase his in¬ 
fluence over them, so that they would be more inclined 
to hear his message of Jesus and His redeeming love. 
When he reached the grove he found four elephants 


259 


26 o 


DR. ROBERT H. NASSAU 


already killed. One had made its escape through the 
fence, thus leaving five behind still living. Four of these 
were soon slain without further difficulty, but the remain¬ 
ing one sought shelter in a thicket, completely hiding 
itself from view. 

Seeing the people already eager for the feast, Dr. 
Nassau offered to go inside the fence and despatch the 
remaining elephant. At first the chief hesitated on 
account of the danger, but Dr. Nassau declared that there 
was practically no danger and so, accompanied by the 
chief and seven of his most experienced hunters, he 
started for the elephant's hiding place. Finding their 
victim standing in the thicket, each dropped on one knee 
to get accurate aim, and all fired at once. 

Imagine Dr. Nassau's surprise when, as the smoke 
cleared away, instead of finding the elephant lying dead 
on its side, he saw it plunging furiously directly toward 
him. It was now almost upon him. Its gait was so 
rapid and the distance so short that it would avail nothing 
to run. For an instant the missionary stood face to face 
with the furious beast, while the panorama of his past 
life flashed vividly before his mind. 

“I am going to die," came the thought, “but it won't 
hurt much. He will simply put his proboscis around my 
waist, lift me up and then put me down and trample 
on me—that's all. But what will my friends in America 
say? I came to Africa to preach the Gospel, and here 
I am losing my life at an elephant hunt." All this 
passed through his mind in an instant. 

The elephant hunt, however, was clearly in the line 
of his duty at that time of his career, and God did not 
let His servant suffer death for his faithfulness. The 
thought suddenly struck Nassau that elephants were said 


JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA 


261 


to be unable to see well out of the corner of their eye, 
and, uttering a prayer to God for deliverance, he jumped 
to one side just in time to permit the great beast to 
rush by. Its momentum carried it past the missionary 
and, seeing the chief and his hunters running toward 
the gate, it made after them. They, however, suddenly 
turned and, emptying the barrels of their guns full in 
the elephants face, it sank down on its haunches, over 
come by the blinding powder. Seeing this, the crowd 
outside rushed upon it and killed it with spears. 

In this way God spared His servant for the life of 
great usefulness and good that was still before him. 


JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA 

A Christian Maker of the New Japan, 1843-1890 

In the midnight darkness of a summer’s evening in 
the year, 1864, a keen observer standing on the banks 
of the “Sunrise Kingdom” might have seen two young 
men stealing down to the water’s edge and, slipping 
into a little boat, row cautiously towards a brig lying 
at some distance from the shore. These men were 
Joseph Neesima and his friend. 

Mr. Neesima, now a young man twenty-one years of 
age, had been born in Tokyo, February 12, 1843, in the 
house of Itakura, a prince of that province. Joseph’s 
moral earnestness and religious fervor led him before 
his conversion to worship the Japanese gods with as 
much reverence as he later showed towards his true and 
living God. When he was about ten years old, the com¬ 
ing of Commodore Perry into the Bay of Yedo greatly 
stirred his boyish heart. He wanted to become a great 
soldier and consequently offered many prayers to his 
god of war. A famous motto penned by a Chinese hero, 



262 


JOSEPH HARDY NEES IMA 


whose life he was reading, however, determined him to 
give his energy to the cultivation of his mind and he 
began to study Dutch. One day he picked up a book 
borrowed from a Chinese friend. The opening sentence 
was “In the beginning God created the heaven and the 
earth. ,, The great question, which had troubled him so 
long, and to which parents and teachers had vainly 
endeavored to give a satisfactory reply, was at last 
answered. He at once recognized his Maker’s claim to 
love and obedience, and began to yield them. His heart 
yearned to read the English Bible, and he burned to find 
some teacher or missionary who could teach him, but 
was made to wait for six years in darkness, until finally 
he gained permission to go in a sailing vessel to a 
distant port. Yet to leave Japan at that time was punish¬ 
able with death, and so great care had to be exercised 
in his departure. 

The passage, though difficult, was successful. The 
captain of the brig Berlin befriended him and stowed him 
so effectually that government officers who searched the 
ship the next morning did not find him. Arrived at 
Shanghai, he engaged to work his passage to Boston 
on the Wild Rover. Providentially, it seems, the owner 
of that ship was that Boston merchant prince, Alpheus 
Hardy, whose aim it was to “make money for God.” 
Upon the exile’s arrival, Mr. Hardy took him to his 
heart and for ten years gave him the best education 
which New England afforded. 

Mr- Neesima soon made manifest his earnest inten¬ 
tion by publicly accepting Christ and entering the 
church. After some years of preparation in Phillips 
Academy, Andover, he entered Amherst College, from 
which he graduated in 1870. In the fall of the same year 


JOSEPH HARDY N EES IMA 


263 


he entered Andover Theological Seminary, and devoted 
himself to his studies there with the same earnestness 
which he had manifested in his earlier courses, and 
which gained for him the admiration of pupils and 
teachers alike. 

In the winter of 1871-2, the second Japanese Embassy 
arrived at Washington and asked Neesima’s assistance. 
He spent a year with the Embassy, visiting the capitals 
of Europe and endeavoring to gain the knowledge which 
the Japanese desired. His firm Christian principle shone 
out during this time. The Embassy often traveled on 
the Sabbath, but he always stopped off Saturday night 
and followed on Monday morning. Thus by his con¬ 
scientious adherence to principle he gained the confidence 
of these men who remained friends until his death. 

Graduated from the Theological Seminary in June, 
1874, he became a corresponding member of the Japan 
Mission of the American Board, Mr. Hardy assuming his 
support. He was to speak at the closing meeting of the 
Board, at Rutland, Vt., in October, 1874. His heart 
filled with emotion at the thought of his wretched 
countrymen, he could not make a careful preparation. 
When he arose to speak he had almost forgotten his 
prepared piece ,* but a new thought flashed into his mind, 
his shaking knees became firm and he spoke something 
quite different than he had intended. Greatly moved 
for his people, he “shed many tears instead of speaking 
in their behalf.” Yet, before the close of his talk, which 
did not last over fifteen minutes, about $5000 were sub¬ 
scribed to found a Christian College in Japan. 

When Mr. Neesima returned to Japan in 1874, he 
found that remarkable changes had taken place in his 
home country. The Mikado was reinstated, the capital 


264 


JOSEPH HARDY N EES IMA 


was changed from Kyoto to Tokyo and the civilization 
of the West had exerted a powerful influence in general. 
One important change was the introduction of a general 
system of education, which Mr. Neesima had helped to 
prepare, all over Japan. The men, whose confidence and 
love, Mr. Neesima had gained in his intercourse with 
the Embassy, were at the head of the government. He 
was repeatedly offered high governmental positions under 
these men, but nothing could turn him from his high pur¬ 
pose of establishing a Christian college in his native 
land. 

After a short visit to his old home, where he boldly 
preached the Gospel, Mr. Neesima went to Kobe and 
Osaka, where the preceding spring the first two churches 
were organized. He tried in vain to gain the governor’s 
permission to open a school in Osaka. No missionary, 
said he, would be allowed to teach in it. God, however, 
prepared a way for a Christian school to be opened in 
Kyoto, which had for more than a thousand years been 
the center of Buddhism and Shintoism in Japan. By the 
influence of his blind counsellor, who was much in¬ 
terested in Christianity, the Governor of Kyoto Fu was 
moved to Mr. Neesima’s opening his school in Kyoto. 
With Neesima and the blind Yamamoto as the first 
Japanese board of directors, it was opened with eight 
students in a rented building, November 29, 1875. The 
name “Doshisha,” “One Endeavor Company,” was 
chosen for the institution. 

In Kyoto, Mr. Neesima became acquainted with 
Yammotoo Yaye, a sister of the blind counsellor, and, 
meeting her repeatedly, acquaintance soon ripened into 
affection. In the autumn of that year they became 
engaged. On Sunday, January 2, 1876, the Lord’s 


JOSEPH HARDY N EES IMA 


265 


Supper was celebrated and O’Yaye received baptism. 
On the following day, Mr. Neesima and O’Yaye were 
united in marriage, the first one of its kind in the city. 

Outside difficulties now awaited our newly wedded 
heic. The ten thousand Buddhist and Shinto priests in 
the city were not to be easily beaten by one solitary 
foreigner. They banded together to crush the Christian 
school just started. The governor also turned against 
it and for six years Mr. Neesima had to labor against 
his opposition; but he wrote, “We are hated by 
magistrates and priests; but we have planted the standard 
of truth here and will never more retreat.” He was 
greatly encouraged and helped the coming of the 
Kumamoto Band of over thirty young people of Captain 
Janes’ English school at the beginning of the second 
Doshisha school year. Yet it often seemed as though 
the enterprise must fail. He once exclaimed, “Oh, that 
I could be crucified once for Christ and be done with it!” 
He held out, however, for six years until victory re¬ 
warded his exertions when a governor friendly to the 
school came to Kyoto. 

Mr. Neesima now began to think and plan for the 
broadening out of Doshisha into a Christian University. 
Heretofore the leading men of Japan seemed to look 
upon it as a Christian school for the training of Chris¬ 
tian preachers and evangelists, since most of the 
graduates were engaged in active Christian work. There¬ 
fore it was a very difficult matter to appeal to the Japa¬ 
nese public for help for the school; but Mr. Neesima 
was not to be held from his purpose. In his appeals to 
the people, which were both by voice and by pen, he 
made it very clear that Christianity was the foundation 
of the morality taught in the school, but that instruction 


266 


JOSEPH HARDY N EES IMA 


was given in other branches besides the Bible and 
theology. 

In 1884, Mr. Neesima’s friends saw that the strain 
of the last nine years had so exhausted his strength 
that a complete change was necessary and at last pre¬ 
vailed upon him to accept Mr. Hardy’s generous offer 
and return to the United States by way of Europe. 

Having returned to Japan in 1885, Mr. Neesima 
began to work quietly for the establishment of the uni¬ 
versity, gathering subscriptions and distributing circulars, 
holding meetings, etc. Much interest was aroused, so 
that early in August, 1888, the amount was brought up 
to 31,OCX) yen. 

Now Mr. Neesima had become so weak.that some 
physicians in Tokyo told him that he had only a short 
time to live; but that if he took a complete rest of two 
years, he might possibly live several years. He decided 
to do what he could while life lasted. In the autumn he 
prepared an appeal for the university, which was pub¬ 
lished simultaneously in twenty of the leading Japanese 
papers. In spring he seemed to regain strength in a 
measure and spent the following summer at a seaside 
resort. While there he received the news that his alma 
mater, Amherst College, had conferred upon him the de¬ 
gree of LL. D. By this he was greatly troubled for a 
while. He felt unworthy of the honor, and asked in per¬ 
plexity, “What shall I do with it?” 

From now on Mr. Neesima grew worse. On 
January 17 the physician summoned pronounced it a 
serious case of peritonitis. Mrs. Neesima reached him 
on the 20th. Though growing steadily worse, he re¬ 
mained conscious to the last, dictating his last words 
concerning his beloved school and letters of thanks to 


JOHN LIVINGSTON NEVINS 


267 


his kind friends who had befriended him. “A few hours 
before his death he asked that the third chapter of 
Ephesians be read to him, friends prayed with and for 
him and at twenty minutes past two o'clock, January 23, 
1890, with the words, ‘Peace, joy, heaven,’ on his lips, 
he entered into rest.” 

In the presence of 3000 people assembled at the 
funeral, the body was laid in its final resting place at the 
foot of the mountain on the eastern side of Kyoto.. In 
accordance with his direction a simple rough stone 
marked “Joseph Hardy Neesima,” indicates the spot 
where his ashes repose. His life speaks for itself, giving 
us a beautiful example of what God can do with one 
man willing to be an instrument in His hands. 


JOHN LIVINGSTON NEVIUS 

The Christian Organizer 

John Livingston Nevius, who in his later years became 
one of the foremost missionaries in a great Oriental 
Empire, was in his youth, “a precocious boy, willful and 
envious and always ready for a quarrel with his brother 
Reuben, giving religion serious thought at seven only 
to decide not to embrace it until fourteen, delighting 
enough in a horse to be a centaur, glorying in the pros¬ 
pect of some day owning a real gun, and rambling and 
roving by the banks of Seneca Lake, little dreaming of 
his later life’s work. His advent into the world 
on March 4, 1829, rejoiced the hearts of Benjamin 
Nevius and Mary Denton, his parents. His mother was 
a veritable Monica to him and never ceased to labor and 
pray for his and his brother’s salvation. For a time, 
however, her prayers remained unanswered.” 



268 


JOHN LIVINGSTON NEVINS 


After the completion of a course in Ovid Academy 
in New York, near their home, John entered Union Col¬ 
lege as a sop'hmore in 1845, and graduated three years 
later. That he had there made having “good times” an 
important object in his life may be judged from the 
following words, written in one of his letters to his 
brother: “We have thus far fooled away our time. If 
we ever do anything in this world, we must begin living 
on a new system.” 

Thinking that he was too young to decide upon a 
profession, John determined to go South, as many 
Northern graduates did before the Rebellion, to begin 
work as a teacher. He had great success, and, more¬ 
over, here he experienced the turning-point in his 
religious life. Before leaving home his thoughts had 
been directed toward his relations to God, and “in the 
loneliness of a far away land he was led into the light.” 
A happier mother cannot be imagined than John’s when 
she received the glad news, especially as almost at the 
same time Reuben Nevius also gave himself to God. 

As a result of his conversion John now turned from 
the law, to which he had inclined, away from his dreams 
of wealth and distinction and, determined to prepare 
himself for the ministry, entered Princeton Seminary in 
December, 1850. “He was a faithful student, a fairly 
active worker in churches and communities to which he 
ministered as a supply and he had an ear open to the 
call of God.” Partly due to the influence of Princeton, 
he decided, in his senior year, to give his life for the 
cause of foreign missions. In the following month he 
was appointed a missionary of the Presbyterian board and 
designated to China. 

After a quiet wedding had united Nevius to Helen 


JOHN LIVINGSTON NEVINS 


269 


Coan, whom he had admired from her girlhood, the 
happy pair embarked on the wretched sailing vessel, 
“Bombay,” in a palatial stateroom six feet long and three 
and a half feet wide! After six months of discomfort 
they landed in the Orient. 

Taking up his abode for a time with resident mem¬ 
bers of their Board in Ningpo Fu, the “City of the peace¬ 
ful wave,” the Neviuses devoted themselves with labor¬ 
ious and persistent application to the study of the 
Chinese language. “For ten years Nevius did not read 
one English book except theological works and com¬ 
mentaries.” At the end of nine months he was able to 
do considerable work in the street chapel and soon he 
began to preach whenever opportunity offered itself. 

During his second year in China Nevius was elected 
as pastor of the Ningpo Church, but also did much work 
in San-poh field, being especially interested in the prison 
there, which he finally entirely reformed. After Mrs. 
Nevius, who had been in the United States to regain her 
health, returned to China, Nevius was sent to Hang-Chow 
to open up a work for the church there. Some idea of 
the beauty of this place is conveyed in the well known 
proverb: “Above is heaven; below are Su-Chow and 
Hang-Chow.” Yet the “red haired devil” missionaries 
did not find this such a delightful place of residence. Dr. 
Nevius cultivated the officials through an interchange of 
presents and calls and for a time lived quietly in his rooms 
at a monastery outside the city and later at a monastery 
even within the city. Disaffection, however, soon became 
noticeable and the landlord of the Neviuses was mal¬ 
treated. Officials desired the missionaries to leave, but 
thinking that the difficulty arose from the defeat of the 
allied forces at the Taku forts and since the American 


270 


JOHN LIVINGSTON NEVINS 


ships were not in the engagement, they declined to go. 
The natives became suspicious and the rumor arose that 
Nevius had soldiers drilling on the hills near their 
temple. Finally, at the request of the United States 
consul, they reluctantly left. Their stay, however, had 
not been in vain, for several persons, among them an 
interesting woman named Su, who had for years been 
longing for such a religion as ours, gave evidence of the 
true faith in Jesus. 

Now Dr. Nevius returned to Nengpo, where he re¬ 
sumed charge of the boys’ boarding school until 1860, 
when he and his wife were sent to Japan by the Board 
to assist the Hepburns in opening a work for their 
church. Here, however, they remained but a short while 
for in February, 1861, the war between China and the 
Western powers being closed, they returned to Shanghai. 

Since the T’ai P’ing insurgents now made a return 
to Hang-Chow impossible, the Neviuses were sent to 
Shantung, China’s Holy Land, at first to Tneg-Chow Tu, 
a city of less than 100,000 inhabitants, located at the 
apex of Shantung’s camel-headed promontory. For ten 
years it was Dr. Nevius’ headquarters. 

Before they were fully settled in their new home, the 
Neviuses found themselves threatened by the T’ai P’ings, 
insurgents, who, through the influence of a man named 
Hung had adopted certain forms of Christian worship 
which were carried to extremes. Every night the red 
glare of burning villages in the neighborhood could now 
be seen. Dead bodies were found under the walls of the 
city and “multitudes who succeeded in reaching Teng- 
Chow walked the streets with heads apparently half- 
severed from their bodies, while wounds and bruises 
made them revolting spectacles.” Though two mission- 


JOHN LIVINGSTON NEVINS 


271 


aries were killed, the Neviuses escaped without bodily- 
injury, though they suffered much mentally. 

In his missionary work Nevius adopted a plan unlike 
the old system, which strives by the use of funds from 
foreign countries to assist the native churches in the first 
stage of development, until they are strong enough to 
exist independently, but thought that “the desired object 
might be best obtained by applying principles of in¬ 
dependence and self-reliance from the beginning,” and 
this is the plan which has been adopted by many of his 
contemporaries and successors in the mission field. 

Much of Nevius' work was done while traveling from 
town to town. When not traveling on horseback he used 
his famous spring wheelbarrow, the platform of which 
was about six feet long and four wide, with a wheel 
in the middle and handles at both ends. Into this he 
would pack his books, a little portable kitchen, clothes, 
bedding and himself, a load of possibly 500 pounds, and 
with a horse attached in front and assisted by two bar- 
rowmen, one supporting the handles and the other steady¬ 
ing the vehicle and driving the horse, he would set out 
on his trip. 

“Arrived at the town to be evangelized, the advent 
of a 'white devil* would be loudly proclaimed and the 
whole town thrown into excitement. Women forgot the 
proprieties of social life and mingled in the jostling 
crowd to catch sight of the strange apparition.” Schools 
were emptied at once and pupils and teachers as well as 
business men from their shops ran to the scene. Only 
a few more staid and respectable citizens looked on with 
a smile. Taking his stand in an open area, examined 
from head to foot by the curious natives, the missionary 
told the “Old, old story” as clearly as possible, hoping 


272 


JOHN LIVINGSTON NEVINS 


to leave behind him at least the thought of the love of 
God or of the salvation through the redeemer. Often 
Nevius thus visited twenty villages in a single day. When 
conversions began the strongest Christian person in the 
village became the leader of its converts and inquirers, 
assisted in this work by Dr. Nevius’ valuable book, 
“Manual for Inquirers.” The station leaders would be 
qualified for their position by personal instruction under 
Dr. Nevius. Thus a great number of stations could be 
run under the oversight of the missionary, and the work 
could be extended indefinitely. 

To aid his stations to come to a position of self- 
support, Dr. Nevius introduced small fruits, such as 
strawberries and various fruit trees. He also imported 
Jersey cows, “the native cows being essentially heathen 
in their unwillingness to contribute to aliens the product 
of their rumination.” The setting of full tires on wheels 
was also introduced by him. 

During the awful famine of 1877 and 1878, when an 
average of 15 per cent of the people died in six months 
and the remainder were reduced to eating the bark of 
trees, roots and grass seed, Dr. Nevius did his utmost to 
relieve the extreme suffering about him. When his work 
was over he could report that with the $10,000 distributed, 
he had aided 32,539 persons residing in 383 villages. 
Many honorary scrolls were presented him by the vil¬ 
lages, expressing the gratitude and admiration of the 
senders. He was also held in honor by the entire mis¬ 
sionary body, among whom he was rated as the strongest 
representative of the Protestant enterprise. 

Though little has yet been said of Nevius’ literary 
works, they occupied no small part of his time and 
thought; but since they were mainly in the Chinese 


HARRIET NEWELL 


2 73 


tongue and intended for native use, they are little known 
to Occidentals. Among these his “Compendium of 
Theology” and “Manual for Inquirers” are probably of 
the greatest value. He also wrote “China and the 
Chinese,” a large volume for the general public. 

The frail health of his wife, which necessitated her 
repeated return to the West, caused Dr. Nevius great 
anxiety and concern, for “though the Nevius home was 
not made glad with children, and while his wife’s health 
was always a problem, the tenderness of early espousals 
was never absent. Friends were impressed with the 
entire devotion of the pair to each other.” 

“The last months of Dr. Nevius’ life were quiet ones. 
He had just finished a revision of a part of the Mandarin 
version of the Bible, as the Shanghai Conference of 1890 
had requested. His brother Reuben had just paid him 
a pleasant visit. He awoke on the morning of October 
19, feeling weary, though he had slept unusually well, 
but he went on with the work of the day. At Chinese 
prayers he read the last half of I Thes. 2, commenting 
on the words “glory” and “joy.” Noticing that his pulse 
was intermittent, a physician was summoned, but scarcely 
had he entered the study before his head fell forward and 
his spirit had fled to Glory. 

HARRIET NEWELL 

The Proto-Martyr 

At the beinning of the mission movement the call of 
the Master to the field was first heard and responded to 
by Messrs. Judson and Newell and their wives. 

Harriet Atwood, later the wife of Samuel Newell, the 
pioneer missionary, was born in the town of Haverhill, on 
the sloping banks of the winding Merrimac, on October 




274 


HARRIET NEWELL 


10, 1793. Her father was Moses Atwood, a merchant 
of that village, who was universally respected and beloved 
for his generosity and benevolence. Her mother’s piety 
left a lasting impression on the heart and conscience. 
She was a fit mother to train such a daughter for her 
holy mission to a world in ruins.” 

In extreme youth she enjoyed gayety and mirth, es¬ 
pecially dancing. It had never been impressed upon her 
mind that such amusements were both sinful and dan¬ 
gerous. “She deemed them consistent with the highest 
state of moral and religious enjoyment, and pursued the 
miserable phantom of human, earthly pleasure, until 
aroused by the Spirit and made sensible of sin.” She had 
early been taught to revere and study God’s Word and to 
pray to her heavenly Father for his blessing, but after 
commencing her gay life and dancing the Bible became 
uninteresting to her and prayer and meditation were dull 
and tedious, so they were discontinued. God, however, 
who orders all things, had selected her as a chosen vessel 
to bear the name of Jesus to the unknown heathen beyond 
the sea. 

In 1805, when about thirteen years of age, she was 
sent by her parents to the academy at Bradford, and 
soon distinguished herself as a quick and ready scholar. 
She took peculiar pains in doing her duties well. Her 
entries in a diary, which she kept at this time, give us an 
idea of the superiority of her mind and the excellency of 
her heart. Soon a religious revival began, during which 
many in the school were converted. Miss Atwood’s at¬ 
tention was arrested and she asked her own heart, “Must 
I be born again?” The answer was clear to her and she 
began to seek the Savior. She recognized Jesus as the 
Savior of sinners, of whom she was one, and in faith glad- 


HARRIET NEWELL 


275 


ly laid hold on Him as the one refuge from an awul 
death. “A wonderful change took place; she lost her 
love of folly and sin; prayer was sweet again; the Bible 
was drawn from its resting place and perused with new 
pleasure, . . . and she passed from a state of nature to 
a state of grace.” 

At this time the church in Haverhill was in a low 
and languishing condition, due to internal divisions, and 
thus to a great extent without the influence of the Holy 
Spirit. In consequence she did not unite with the church, 
nor did she make an open confession of religion. This 
neglect of a plain duty shrouded her soul in darkness and 
God withdrew His presence from her in sadness. She 
fearfully realized the truth of the divine declaration, “The 
way of the transgressor is hard,” for her diary speaks of 
sleepless nights and anxious days, resultant of her diso¬ 
bedience. 

On June 28, 1809, relief came in the form of a dis¬ 
course, which was the instrument, through God, of again 
prostrating her at the foot of the cross. She again felt 
the awful pangs of remorse and was induced to turn to 
that kind and compassionate Redeemer, who had previ¬ 
ously forgiven all her sins. Her prayer was heard and 
her bleeding heart, torn and wounded by sin, had peace. 

At fifteen years of age she was called upon to endure 
deep suffering through the loss of her father. Her letters 
to her friends, however, abounded in words of sweet res¬ 
ignation, for she found great comfort in his calm and 
peaceful departure, which served to give her a more 
lofty idea of the power of faith to sustain its subject 
even in the hour of death. 

In October, 1810, an event occurred which gave direc¬ 
tion to all her subsequent life. She became acquainted 


276 


HARRIET NEWELL 


with Samuel Newell, an enthusiastic apostle of missions. 
Laying his plans and purposes before her, he asked her 
to accompany him as his co-laborer and companion. She 
had long prayed that she might be the source of good 
to her fellow men, but the idea of leaving mother, friends 
and home to tell of Jesus in wild and barbarous lands was 
new and strange. She prayerfully considered the matter, 
divested of its romantic drapery. The subject had an 
importance and awfulness which it does not now pos¬ 
sess, for no one had ever left our shores to preach the 
Gospel in heathen countries, while those who were agi¬ 
tating the matter were considered fanatics. Even her 
most trusted friends counseled against her leaving. 
Driven to the throne of God, she there wrestled until her 
course was clear; for to her question, “Lord, what wilt 
Thou have me do?” she heard the response, “Go, work 
today in my vineyard,” and she hesitated not any longer. 

Her decision was given to Mr. Newell in firm and de¬ 
cided language. She was united in marriage to him on 
February 9, 1812, and on the 19th they set sail for Cal¬ 
cutta. The voyage, though unpleasant, was not severe. 
The weather was generally pleasant, while rarely did the 
waves sweep the vessel's decks or flow through the win¬ 
dows into the cabin. Thus Mrs. Newell could spend her 
time in writing letters to her friends and in preparing her¬ 
self for her missionary work. 

On the 17th of June the Caravan anchored in the har¬ 
bor of Calcutta, the water swarmed with boatloads of 
naked natives, who brought on board cocoanuts, ban¬ 
anas and dates. Others were diving beneath the sur¬ 
face or basking in the sun. The missionaries were kindly 
received by Dr. Carey, Mr. Marshman and Mr. Ward, all 
of whom were connected with the English Baptist mission 


HARRIET NEWELL 


277 


station at Serampore. Their hopes of usefulness, how¬ 
ever, were destined to be blasted, for the East India Com¬ 
pany, opposed to all attempts at Christianizing the na¬ 
tives, threw their influence against the mission cause and 
soon the government ordered Mr. Newell and his associ¬ 
ates to leave the country. After much parleying 
with the civil authorities, permission was obtained to 
reside at the Isle of France and for that place Mr. and 
Mrs. Newell took passage on board the Gillespie on Aug. 
4,1812. 

The passage was very unpleasant. Not only was the 
crew profane and irreligious, but coarse and even dis¬ 
respectful towards the weaker sex, so that the pious 
woman was often compelled to listen to expressions 
which would have brought a blush to the cheek of a 
strong man. The weather was also boisterous and un¬ 
pleasant, while the delicate state of Mrs. Newell’s health 
rendered their sorrows doubly annoying. 

About three weeks before their arrival at their desti¬ 
nation, M’rs. Newell gave birth to a little girl. The sweet 
infant, however, lived but five days before its little form 
had to be sunk into the cold waters of the deep. 

Soon after the death of her babe, Mrs. Newell dis¬ 
covered symptoms of the slow, wasting consumption that 
was soon to sap her life. Though she wondered why she 
was so soon to be taken away from the side of her hus¬ 
band and from the great task to which she had so earn¬ 
estly and with so much sacrifice consecrated her life, 
yet she remained patient- On her dying pillow she read 
through the book of Job and in contemplating the suffer¬ 
ings of that Godly man lost sight of her own anguish- 

She died on November 30, 1812, at the Isle of France, 
leaving her husband to labor alone for the conversion of 


278 


FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE 


the heathen. Her last words were, “How long, O Lord, 
how long?” and with these words on her lips, she passed 
away. 

The grandeur of a spectacle such as the departure of 
Harriet Newell to teach the lessons of Jesus in distant 
lands is seldom appreciated. We consider the career of 
Napoleon a glorious one. The gorgeous glory gathered 
about this great emperor of blood hides his many faults 
and dazzles our eyes with its brilliancy; but the true 
glory of that little band of missionaries which left the 
well-known shores of their beloved America to find homes 
and graves in strange and distant India, far outshines all 
the glitter and pomp of this greedy French monarch. 
Their names are mentioned with affection by the church 
and if when the glad millennium comes and the whole 
world is converted to God, some crowns brighter than 
others will be seen among the multitude before God’s 
throne, one of these will be worn by Harriet Newell, the 
proto-martyr of American missions. 


FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE 

“The Angel of Crimea” 

The life of this benefactress of the human race forms 
one of the most brilliant chapters in the history of Eng¬ 
land. Her unprecedented deeds of kindness and mercy 
have gained for her a world renown and her name is, 
without doubt, the most generally known and honored of 
any of the present day. 

She was born on May 12, 1820, as the daughter of 
a wealthy Englishman, who gave her the name of the 
beautiful Italian city of her birth. Soon the family re¬ 
turned to Derbyshire, which they had left only shortly 



FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE 


279 


before on a visit, and here Florence and her elder sister 
spent their youth. 

Even Florence’s childhood life was typical and pro¬ 
phetic of her later occupation and character, for she 
early began assisting the poor and doing what she could 
to alleviate the suffering of those sick about her. Even 
the animals shared her mercy and, as she was traveling 
with her parents through Egypt, Arabians benefited in 
sickness by her kindly ministrations, worshipped her as 
an angel. 

Mr. Nightingale gave his daughters a good education, 
so that Florence could later speak German, French and 
Latin fluently; but she early became interested in nurs¬ 
ing and determined to seek training in that direction. 
There were, however, no schools for this purpose in the 
country, so she turned to the hospitals, where she picked 
up what knowledge she could and then went to Kaisers- 
werth in Germany, where, sixteen years previously, Pas¬ 
tor Fliedner had opened the deaconess motherhouse, 
which has now spread to every Protestant land, and of 
which the Methodist deaconess work in our own country 
is a descendant. After thorough training there she went 
to Paris, where she was received by the Catholic nursing 
sisterhood of Saint Vincent de Paul and, sharing their 
labors of mercy, she learned better methods of nursing 
and of caring for the suffering. 

Her country’s call came in 1852, during the awful Cri¬ 
mean war, when Englishmen were dying like flies in the 
camp hospitals, and it found her ready. The reports of 
the wretched condition of the wounded and dying sol¬ 
diers in the hospitals on the battlefields of Sebastopol 
and Scutari aroused the keenest excitement and horror. 
In this extremity the secretary of war, Lord Sidney Her- 


280 


FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE 


bert, sent an appeal to Florence Nightingale, who was 
then at the head of one of London's governess hospitals, 
that she might undertake the necessary reform in the 
care of the wounded in Crimea. As a strange coinci¬ 
dence, she, aware of the urgent need, had already prof¬ 
fered her services, and the letters crossed. Though a 
pioneer in her newly accepted capacity, she at once 
started to Scutari on October 21, 1854, and reached the 
hospital on November 5. 

She found the army hospitals unworthy of their 
names; for they were poorly ventilated, with insufficient 
skilled attendants and there was an utter lack of cleanli¬ 
ness; and the result was that fifty-two per cent of those 
who went in for treatment were carried out to their 
graves. At her arrival there were already 2,300 patients 
in the hospital suffering from cholera, fever and other 
camp scourges; but the battle of Inkerman, waged on 
that same day, increased the number to 5,000. Here to 
bring order out of chaos, to revolutionize the methods in 
use in the hospitals, to transform filth to cleanliness, to 
give the victims attention instead of neglect was the 
task placed before Miss Nightingale. With thirty-eight 
nurses she led her battle and she herself worked almost 
without rest. Sometimes she was on her feet, directing 
the work of her faithful volunteer nurses for twenty hours 
of the day; and as if under the spell of a magic wand in 
her fairy hand, order came about in the great institution 
of suffering. Cleanliness became compulsory, intelligent 
nursing succeeded indifference and the hospital household 
was completely reorganized and a new regime began. At 
first the jealous army surgeons only tolerated her, and 
she had many struggles with red-tape and officialism in 
behalf of the sick and wounded soldiers; but all preju- 


FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE 


281 


dice was soon removed by the gentle woman and the doc¬ 
tors were praising her efficiency and worth when the per¬ 
centage of mortality was reduced from 52 to 2. 

The soldiers idolized her. It is not a poetic figure 
when Longfellow records, in a poem written about her, 
that the soldiers in the hospital tents before Sebastopol 
kissed the shadow of Miss Nightingale as, in her going 
to and fro with her lamp at night in search of wounded 
men, it fell on the tent wall beside their beds. 

In the autum of the year 1856 she returned to her 
home in England. Though she avoided the great public 
reception that was intended for her, England neverthe¬ 
less showed its high appreciation for her services. Queen 
Victoria sent her a jeweled red cross on a white field, 
decorated with the initials “V. R.” and the inscription, 
“Blessed are the merciful,” etc. A national testimonial 
was talked of, but the heroine refused to accept a per¬ 
sonal reward, so a fund of 50,000 pounds, of which 4,000 
was given by Crimean war veterans, was raised to be 
devoted to “an institute for the training, sustenance and 
protection of nurses and hospital attendants.” Miss 
Nightingale undertook the direction of the work and thus 
the Nightingale Home at St. Thomas* Hospital was 
founded. 

The stress of the service in Crimea was too much for 
Miss Nightingale’s health and she was an invalid for 
half of her lifetime in consequence of overwork. In her 
old age King Edward granted her the Order of Merit, an 
unprecedented honor for a woman, and the most exclu¬ 
sive distinction in the gift of the British sovereign. The 
membership of the order is limited to twenty-four, and 
includes only the most select of personages. In 1908 she 
received the freedom of the city of London, which had 


282 


FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE 


been bestowed upon but one other of her sex. Besides, 
she received presents from no less distinguished person¬ 
ages than the Sultan of Turkey and the Grand Duchess of 
Baden. She, however, cared not for these worldly hon¬ 
ors; her mind was upon God. An invalid and seldom 
leaving her room, she was now awaiting His summons 
to that better world, where she would realize that blessed 
promise, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto . . . these, 
my brethren, ye have done it unto me” On May 12 she 
celebrated her ninetieth birthday. A week before her 
death she had been quite sick, but improved; on Friday 
night, however, alarming symptoms developed and she 
sank gradually, until an attack of heart failure released 
her angelic spirit from its tabernacle of clay on Satur¬ 
day afternoon, August 13, 1910. 

Besides herself laboring in the field, which she had 
opened, and which was of such great importance, Miss 
Nightingale did much for the work by enlightening others 
on the subject and thus interesting them in it. In 1859 
she published her first book, treating the subject of hos¬ 
pitals, and in 1860 appeared a book treating the subject 
of nursing, which had a circulation of 100,000. Besides 
this she also made many literary contributions to papers 
and magazines. 

The world owes Florence Nightingale a measureless 
debt for succor and comfort in affliction; for her example 
made nursing a profession and put skilled service into 
the field. Not only did she induce thousands of her 
sisters to enter the loving work of human help, but the 
reaction of her influence also deepened the sympathy and 
tenderness of physicians throughout the civilized world. 


JOHN G. PATON 

The Dogs to the Rescue 

John Paton, and Mr. and Mrs. Johnston had been 
sent as missionaries to the New Hebrides. There they 
spent the New Year’s Day of 1861, as a kind of festival, 
happy though solemn, consecrating themselves anew to 
the service of God and, in a covenant with the Lord 
Jesus, giving away their lives for the conversion of the 
New Hebrides savages. It was a New Year’s day ever 
to be remembered. 

After the evening family worship, Mr. and Mrs. 
Johnston started for their own house about ten feet 
distant; but Johnston soon returned, reporting two men 
with great clubs and faces painted black at the window. 
When Paton went out to inquire what they wanted he 
received the answer, 

“Medicine for a sick boy.” 

“The missionary invited them into the house, but 
they replied only in a sullen and evasive refusal. Finally 
they reluctantly entered, apparently for appearance’s 
sake, but their manifest agitation and disguising black 
paint surprised him and made him suspicious that they 
had come to murder him and his friends. Therefore, 
keeping his eye constantly on the black men, he pre¬ 
pared the medicine and offered it. They rejected it, but 
each man grasped his killing stone. This would have 
been a fatal moment for a man less firm and fearless 
than was Mr. Paton, but he faced them boldly and spoke: 

“You see that Mr. Johnston is now leaving, and you 
too must leave this room for tonight. Tomorrow you 
can bring the boy or come for the medicine.” 

They were unwilling to leave, and only seized their 
clubs to be ready for action. The missionary walked 


283 


284 


JOHN G. PAT ON 


deliberately towards them, as though he would push them 
out, and they turned to go. Mr. Johnston preceded 
them out. In the open door he bent down to lift up a 
little kitten that had escaped, when one savage aimed 
at him a cruel blow, in avoiding which Johnston fell 
to the ground with a scream. In an instant both men 
sprang for him; but at that moment two faithful dogs 
of the missionaries leaped in their faces and saved his 
life. Having heard a sound, Mr. Paton rushed out, just 
in time to see Mr. Johnston trying to raise himself and 
hear him cry, 

“Take care! These men have tried to kill me, and they 
will kill you!” 

“What is it that you want?” he demanded, turning 
sternly towards them. “He does not understand your 
language. What do you want? Speak with me.” 

In answer both men raised their huge clubs to crush 
him on the spot; but, with lightning speed, the dogs again 
sprang at their faces and baffled their blows, though one 
of the faithful creatures was badly bruised. The men’s 
intent now being fully made manifest, Paton hounded 
both dogs furiously upon the murderers, and the savages 
fled. 

“Remember, Jehovah God sees you, and will punish 
you for trying to murder His servants,” he shouted after 
the disappearing black figures. In their flight a large 
body of men, who had come many miles to assist in the 
murder and plundering, slipped from the bush and joined 
the fugitives. The missionaries, watching them, realized 
the truth of the words, “The wicked flee when no man 
pursueth;” but also of the comforting passage, “God is 
our refuge and our strength.. .therefore we will not fear.” 


BISHOP JOHN COLERIDGE PATTESON 

The Gospel Messenger to the Melanesian Islands 

Though most of the earlier missionaries sprang from 
the lower ranks of society, still a young lad of a great 
family considered himself honored by following in their 
steps. “Coley” Patteson, born in London on April 1, 
1827, was the son of one English judge and the nephew 
of another, and, though born to ease, affluence and honor, 
early decided to renounce them all and to work for the 
Lord as a minister. Under the discipline of a loving, 
Christian father and of an unselfish mother, his fiery tem¬ 
per and troublesome, dogged nature were governed, until 
he became the steadfast, self-controlled and unselfish 
youth, whom his school-fellows admired and honored. 

At school Patteson was a good student and the most 
popular boy among the pupils. He was distinguished for 
courage and patience; but he possessed not only phys¬ 
ical, but also moral courage. At an annual dinnner given 
by the cricket and boat clubs, of which he was a mem¬ 
ber, one of the boys began to sing an objectionable song, 
and Coley instantly called out, “If that does not stop, I 
shall leave the room.” The remonstrance, how¬ 
ever, was unheeded, and he left the room, followed 
by some others, as brave as himself. Nor was that all, 
for he sent back word that, unless an apology were 
made, he would leave the cricket club, which brought 
the offender to his senses, and showed his companions 
that Patteson’s consistency was not to be trifled with. 
That he left the school without “sting or stain” was 
doubtless due to the assistance of the Holy Spirit and 
the pious instruction received from one of “the best of 
mothers.” 


285 


286 


BISHOP JOHN COLERIDGE PATTESON 


His college life at Oxford developed the strong points 
in his character. Fearing that athletics, of which he 
was very fond, would usurp too much time, he denied 
himself the indulgence in his favorite sport and, apply¬ 
ing himself assiduously to his studies, distinguished him¬ 
self as a scholar, especially in languages. He also induced 
the young men at Baliol to give up their dessert in order 
to aid the sufferers in the Irish famine and was soon 
distinguished as a college reformer. 

After obtaining his fellowship he spent five years in 
foreign travel, much of this time was spent in study 
in Germany, whither he went in 1852. Here he developed 
his remarkable gift for languages. “His boyish distaste 
for mental exertion passed away, and the individuality 
and originality of his mind appeared,” as he applied 
himself diligently to the German, Hebrew, Arabic and 
Syriac languages. The deeper, spiritual life of the man 
was also coming to maturity. He now broke away from 
his work once or twice each day to meditate and com¬ 
mune with God, and he earnestly examined his own 
feeling before moving out into active life. 

In 1853, he began to labor as minister at Alfington 
in the parish of Ottery St. Mary. There, among the 
poor as well as the rich, and among children of all 
classes, he began his labor of tireless and unselfish love, 
gaining, by his devotion, the love of the whole parish. 
Before him was the prospect of an honorable career, 
in the midst of friends and relatives; but before the 
year had ended, Bishop Selwyn of New Zealand, whose 
stirring appeal for workers in the Lord’s vineyard had 
strongly moved Patteson when still a young lad, now 
returned; and that visit, and several conversations with 
the Bishop set a seal upon his determination. His 


BISHOP JOHN COLERIDGE PATTESON 287 

mother, who had died shortly after the Bishop’s first 
visit, had commended her boy to the Lord; and his father, 
when his son opened his heart to him, “with the most 
unhesitating heartiness, gave up one who was dearer 
to him than life. 5 * Then, after the last farewells had 
been spoken, and the last kisses given, young Patteson 
plucked a few primroses from his mother’s grave and 
departed, never to see his old home again. 

He embarked with Bishop Selwyn in the spring of 
1855, and reached New Zealand in July. During the 
voyage he learned a great deal of the art of navigation 
and acquired such facility in speaking the tongue of the 
New Zealanders that, upon his arrival one of the natives 
asked one of the senior clergy the not very com¬ 
plimentary question, why he did not speak like Patteson. 

Patteson was appointed to the Melanesian Islands, 
which were near the equator and were inhabited by a 
people not very intelligent, but steady, who had a reputa¬ 
tion for cannibalism and spoke an almost infinite variety 
of dialects throughout their vast archipelago. He 
immediately took up his work. The first five years were 
spent in making voyages to the different islands in com¬ 
pany with Bishop Selwyn, attempting to gather native 
pupils for a training school at the mission college. The 
Islanders’ confidence was gained by repeated visits and 
an increasing number of scholars came to the school 
yearly. Often, as the missionaries approached these reef- 
surrounded islands, they had to “take a good header 
into the surf” and, with their gifts for the natives tied 
upon their backs, swim ashore. Their welcome was 
generally friendly, though the whistle of an hostile arrow 
was not unknown. Patteson’s audacity and confidence, 
however, stood him in good stead; and, bravely swim- 


288 


BISHOP JOHN COLERIDGE PATTESON 


ming to an island, rubbing noses with the natives by 
way of greeting, presenting them gifts and entering into 
a friendly conversation with them, he usually departed 
eventually with several hopeful new pupils for his school. 

The whole Melanesian mission was now surrendered 
to the care of Patteson, and he was made a chief pastor. 
Shortly afterwards, in 1861, he was consecrated Bishop 
of the Melanesian Islands by Bishop Selwyn, whc> had 
long felt that the work should be provided for in that 
way. The honor, though, did not stiffen Coleridge 
Patteson’s loving and simple-hearted dealings with his 
people. His heart remained unchanged, and he was still 
the same true and devoted Patteson. 

He felt the greatness of the work now before him and 
realized his comparative weakness with inward pain; 
but, depending upon God for strength and help, he 
plunged into the work with his characteristic energy and 
fearlessness. Approaching some hitherto unvisited island, 
he would extend his arms to show the suspicious war¬ 
riors on shore that he was unarmed. Then he would 
plunge into the sea and swim ashore, amidst exclama¬ 
tions of wonder, from the awe-struck savages. His very 
boldness was oftentimes his safety; and when it 
happened, as it often did, that, in their superstitious 
fear, the savages pointed an arrow at him, he would look 
the archer in the face with that bright smile, which sel¬ 
dom failed to gain confidence. 

Eventually his principal school for training youth was 
established at Norfolk, where the climate was more 
healthful for his pupils. Here he labored for their pro¬ 
gress spiritually, but also threw himself enthusiastically 
into their games and sports, so that the boys were so 
fond of him, that they would often steal into his little 


BISHOP JOHN COLERIDGE PATTESON 


289 


study for the mere pleasure of being near him. His 
sorest trials came when one of the boys, whom he loved 
so well died. Besides the pain of parting from them, 
there was the danger of incurring the ignorant resent¬ 
ment of the parents, which would prevent a fresh supply 
of pupils. On one occasion a boy died, who belonged 
to an island, the language of which he had not yet fully 
mastered.. However, going to the island, he sought the 
father and took his hand, while the tribe gathered in¬ 
quiringly around. Then, taking a lad that stood near, 
he laid him gently on the ground and hung over him and 
kissed him, to show his affection for the man’s dead 
child. Thus, partly with words and partly by gestures, 
he described the progress of the sickness. When he 
came to the death, the warriors grasped their weapons; 
but, when they saw his undissembled tears, they trusted 
him, saying, “It is all well. Bishop. You did all you 
could.” 

It is not surprising that such a man should be suc¬ 
cessful. At the close of the year 1871, there were over 
three hundred Christian natives living among their own 
friends, spreading the Gospel, while George Sarawia, 
his first Melanesian convert admitted to holy orders, was 
carrying on a most successful work in the neighboring 
islands. 

The end, however, was now near. Trading vessels 
began to visit the islands, carrying off men to work 
on the plantations on the Fiji Islands in Queensland. 
At first, as long as the trade was in the hands of honest 
sea captains, it was legitimate and the laborers were 
honestly employed; but soon slave traders began kid¬ 
napping the natives and the “snatch-snatch” vessels, as 
the natives called them, almost depopulated some of the 


290 


BISHOP JOHN COLERIDGE PATTESON 


islands. Sometimes, in order to inveigle the natives on 
board, they would represent themselves as sent by 
Patteson to fetch them. At other times they would paint 
their ships to resemble the Southern Cross, Patteson’s 
little mission schooner, while the sailors dressed up on 
deck a clerical figure with book in hand, to represent the 
Bishop; and thus many unfortunate, unsuspecting 
natives were enticed into the ships. 

At last the trajedy, feared by himself as well as by 
his friends, occurred. While visiting some islands, he 
came to Nakapu and went ashore on September 20, 1871, 
with two of the chiefs, who had formerly been friendly 
to him. One of the ship’s boats lay floating near the 
shore, surrounded by native canoes, when suddenly a 
man stood up in one of them and, calling out, “Have 
you any like this?” shot a yard long arrow at the 
occupants of his boat. His companions in two other 
canoes also began shooting quickly, and when the boat 
had drawn out of range, three out of its four occupants 
had been struck. When the Bishop did not appear on 
shore, the men manned a boat and went in search of him. 
As they drew near the shore, a canoe was pushed out 
towards them, and in it they found the Bishop’s body. 
He had been killed by a blow on the skull, while there 
were four other wounds. On his breast lay a palm 
branch with five knots, to indicate that he had been 
killed in revenge for five natives, who had been stolen 
from Nukapu. A sweet, calm smile, however, was on 
his face* The shepherd had given his life for his sheep. 

On the next morning his body was buried in the 
waters of the Pacific, on which he had made his home 
for sixteen years. Though he lived only forty-four 
years, his work and influence is still going on and will 
never die in the South Seas; for “such lives never die.” 


JOHN MASON PECK 

The Heroic Pioneer Preacher 

In May, 1817, at the Baptist triennial missionary 
convention at Philadelphia, a Mr. Welsh and John 
Mason Peck were chosen as missionaries to Missouri 
and the surrounding territory of the middle west. Peck 
was a man of humble Puritan blood, but of deep per¬ 
sonal piety and strong missionary zeal. The early years 
of his ministry had been spent in eastern states, but 
now he was particularly concerned about the need of 
evangelistic effort within the vast section included in 
the Louisiana Purchase. He had offered himself for 
this work and had spent several months in Philadelphia 
in study for the purpose of better qualifying himself for 
a life long missionary crusade. He received his appoint¬ 
ment to this work gratefully and graciously, saying: 
“From this moment I consider myself most sacredly 
devoted to the mission. O, Lord, may I live and die 
in the cause.” Like Paul, he believed himself to be an 
apostle by the will of God and was ready to go forth 
in service and sacrifice for the extension of the king¬ 
dom of God. 

His farewell on the day of his parting from his 
parents and friends, July 25, 1817, was pathetic and 
almost overwhelming. The journey of himself and 
family to the new appointment was to be made in a little 
one-horse wagon, and the distance to be traveled com¬ 
prised over twelve hundred miles. Now we go from 
New York to St. Louis comfortably in thirty hours; but 
then four months were required, and the trip was one 
marked by exposure, fatigue and danger. The journey 
of this little missionary family from Philadelphia to St. 
Louis was so arduous and perilous that at one time they 


291 


292 


JOHN MASON PECK 


were on the verge of despair and led to exclaim: “Ours 
is destined to be a life of privation, trial and hardship.” 

With the help of God, however, they conquered all 
opposing forces and finally reached St. Louis. This great 
metropolis of today was then a small town without 
hotels and boarding houses, except a French tavern for 
farmers. Nearly all houses and rooms were occupied. 
Most of the merchants lived in their stores and were 
their own cooks. Even the largest dwelling houses con¬ 
tained but two or three rooms and were one story high. 
Peck paid twelve dollars monthly for one room which 
his family occupied and Welsh paid fourteen dollars a 
month for a small school room, fourteen by sixteen feet 
in size. Sugar sold for thirty cents a pound; coffee for 
over sixty cents; and inferior flour was twelve dollars 
a barrel. Prices for other food supplies were equally 
high. 

The leading professional and business men and civil 
and military officers comprising perhaps one-half of the 
population were respectable people, but were men of the 
world and destitute of any strong religious principles. 
The other half of the Anglo-American population were 
infidels of a low, indecent grade and utterly worthless. 

The boast was made that the Sabbath never had, 
and never should, cross the Mississippi. Sunday was 
a day for dances, billiards, cards and other hilarities, a 
day on which the saloons and billiard rooms were 
crowded with gamblers. Carts and wagons came to 
market, provisions were sold at retail throughout the 
village and many stores sold more goods on the Lord’s 
Day than any other day in the week. These conditions 
in the town were a fair index of the situation in the 
surrounding country. 


JOHN MASON PECK 


293 


In this unpromising field Peck and his associates 
who joined him later encountered every difficulty com¬ 
mon to pioneer evangelistic labors. They traveled night 
and day, in sunshine and in storm, through Illinois, 
Missouri, Indiana and Kentucky preaching the Gospel 
to all classes of people regardless of nationality or color. 
Glorious revivals in many localities gladdened their 
hearts. Many souls were gathered into the kingdom 
of Christ. Young men from the home field offered them¬ 
selves for the ministry and their number was sup- 
plimented by other workers from eastern states. 

Though a self-made man. Peck also became dis¬ 
tinguished as a writer and educator becoming editor of 
“The Pioneer” and the founder of schools. The last de¬ 
cade of his life was crowded with many useful labors. 
He traveled south and east in behalf of missions, holding 
conferences and addressing largely attended conventions. 
In a review of his seventeen years of missionary labor 
lie enumerated these gratifying results: 1. The en¬ 
couragement of missionary friends in the west. 2. The 
leading of ministers to become less worldly, to form 
more correct views and habits and to use their gifts 
more faithfully. 3. The forming and sustaining of in¬ 
numerable churches in leading towns and cities. 4. The 
leading of church members to support their own pastors. 
5. The raising up of ministers. 6. The systematizing 
of the benevolences of the churches^ 7. The wide pro¬ 
motion of revivals. 8. The general advancement of 
religion, morals and educational projects. 9. The revela¬ 
tion of the awful destitution of many sections of the 
country. 

John Mason Peck was, indeed, an heroic and a mas¬ 
terful preacher of the Gospel of Christ, strong, unpreten- 


294 


ALEXANDER PEDEN 


tious, self-denying, practical and independent. Well has 
it been said: “All his powers, physical and intellectual, 
were subordinated by grace to the service of Christ. 
He was not only a pioneer, but a master-spirit among 
the pioneers.” 


ALEXANDER PEDEN 

“Peden, the Prophet” 

A young minister, who was, by the “Drunken Act of 
Glasgow,” compelled to leave his congregation, was 
preaching his farewell sermon to his congregation of 
New Luce, in Galloway. It was a wonderful sermon, 
and his people, filled with the deepest sorrow, wept 
and begged him to preach on when he had finished. He 
did so, and it had become dark before the congregation 
dispersed. He closed the pulpit door behind him and, 
striking it three times with his Bible, he spoke: 

“In my Master's name I arrest thee! that none enter 
thee but as I have done—by the door. 

Years passed by and none of those in authority 
attempted to fill up the vacancy. The incident just 
related became much talked about and Peden gained 
fame. 

He now preached on the hillsides, living the life of 
a wanderer, for he feared to be found in one of the 
homes offered him, knowing that the Council, which 
thirsted for his blood, would ruin it if he were. This 
Council, unable to capture him, ordered him to surrender 
unconditionally, but he joined in the Pentland rising 
instead, and was included in the indictment issued 
against the leading insurgents. Again refusing to appear 



ALEXANDER PEDEN 


295 


before the Council, he was made an outlaw, and his 
property was forfeited to the Crown. 

Though Peden’s life was one of great hardship, he 
did not have to contend with spies, for they feared his 
curse, and, though they frequently knew where he slept, 
none ever troubled him, at which he often wondered. 

Once, while riding to a meeting with friends, he met 
a party of dragoons searching for him. He calmly said 
to his friends, ‘‘Keep up your courage and confidence, 
for God hath laid an arrest on these men that they 
shall do us no harm,” and rode boldly up to them. They 
simply inquired for the road to a certain place and, he 
showing them the way, thanked him profusely and 
departed. 

Many and narrow were his escapes from the hands 
of the persecuting Royalists, but escape he did always, 
helped by the guiding hand of the good Lord. Some¬ 
times he would flee and hide, sometimes use stratagem, 
such as running into the midst of the dragoons and 
frightening their horses by swinging his bonnet to and 
fro wildly, and sometimes trusting to help and protec¬ 
tion from God. 

The latter expedient was mostly trusted to by him, 
and he was never disappointed. Once when he and his 
congregation were completely surrounded by dragoons 
expecting to take them all captive, he prayed to God for 
deliverance and then assured his people: 

“Friends, the bitterest blast is over; we will be no 
more troubled with them this day/' 

The people, however, were uncomforted, until a 
heavy mist descended from heaven, enveloping all in its 
opaque folds, and allowing the covenanters to pass home 
unnoticed through the midst of the discomfited captors. 


296 


ALEXANDER PEDEN 


Peden now gained a unique place in the hearts of the 
Covenanters, who called him “Peden, the Prophet.” 

The search for him became more keen, and he passed 
into Ireland, only to be arrested, however, in the house 
of Hugh Ferguson of Knockdow, in Carrick, and sen¬ 
tenced to imprisonment in Bass Rock, there to be shut 
up and excluded for five years from open air and free¬ 
dom. When at length he was liberated, it was only 
to banish him to America, but his assurance to one of his 
fellow-sufferers, “the ship had not been built that would 
bear them to America” marvelously came true, for they 
were soon released. 

After several more years’ work in England, Scotland 
and Ireland, he returned, in 1682, as a minister to his 
congregation at Glen Luce, where he preached with 
great effect. 

Just before his death he arrived at his brother’s 
house as the dragoons were hovering about, and his 
sister-in-law was uneasy for him. 

“They will not find me alive, though they search 
twenty times this house,” he said, and the next day he 
was dead. 

Vengeance was wreaked upon his body by the Royal¬ 
ists when they took it from its burial place and hung 
it upon a gibbet, and then buried it at the foot of the 
infernal machine; but many friends requested the honor 
of being buried near the spot, and it is now the recognized 
churchyard of Cumnock, a popular burial ground. The 
spot of his grave is carefully marked, and his name is 
revered by all as sacred. 


GEORGE PIERCY 

The Heroic Plowman 

As Elisha of old had been called from his labor of 
guiding his oxen before the plow to the guiding of men 
to the heavenly kingdom and reward promised above, so 
George Piercy, a young tiller of the soil in Yorkshire, 
England, also heard the call of God to the greatest of 
all labors, the work of a missionary. Ever since he had 
given himself to Christ and joined the Wesleyan Church, 
his mind had often drawn pictures, as he followed the 
plow, of the countless millions who were suffering in 
misery because of the ignorance and idolatry in which 
they had grown up. Pre-eminent in his thoughts was 
China, which had recently been opened to missionary 
efforts, but to which the Wesleyans, though a mission 
loving people, could not yet send men because of the 
great number of missionaries lately sent to other parts 
of the globe by them. The more Piercy thought of China, 
the more his heart burned with a desire to go there. 
He heard a still, small voice calling him to go to China 
and tell those poor, benighted people the sweet story of 
Jesus’ love. 

Young Piercy decided to visit a friendly old gentle¬ 
man of his acquaintance living about thirty miles distant 
and to lay the matter before him, which he did; but the 
cautious old man objected. “The language of the 
Chinese is not easily learned,” he replied. “China is a 
long, long way off. You will have great obstacles to 
overcome when you get there. You had better go to 
some less difficult field.” 

“I believe, sir, that God has called me to labor in 
China. I have no such impression that I have a call 


29 7 


298 


GEORGE PIERCY 


to any other part of the mission field/' was the meek 
but firm rejoinder. 

Mr. Reed, however, remained firmly opposed to his 
young friend’s plans until he induced him to give up his 
idea, “at least for the present.” 

Once more young Piercy returned to work diligently 
on the farm, but neither the joyous shouts of the reapers, 
nor the merry stroke of the flail on the hard floor in 
winter could drown out the still, small voice urging 
him to hasten to the ripe harvest field of China. There¬ 
fore, after six months he again visited his old friend 
Reed, explaining: “The impression on my mind regard¬ 
ing China not oniy continues, but is deeper than ever, 
sir.” 

A short conversation convinced Mr. Reed that 
Piercy’s convictions of duty could not be rooted out, 
so he acquiesced, giving him a letter of instroduction to 
the Rev. Wm. Arthur, Secretary of the Wesleyan Mis¬ 
sionary Society. 

Armed with this friendly letter, our resolute plowman 
trudged to London to meet the amiable and great hearted 
Secretary, but only to find that the society had no money 
with which to commence a mission in the vast empire 
of China. 

Here was another and a great discouragement. Did 
Piercy lose heart? No! He seemed to have the faith 
of a saint and the courage of a hero, for he, without 
further hesitation, took the little sum of money he had 
saved out of his wages, paid the price of his own passage 
and sailed for China, without a promise of help from 
any human being. 

On January 30, 1851, he stood on the shore at Hong- 
Kong, China, a small bare island in the mouth of the 


GEORGE PIERCY 


299 


Canton River. About him were 32,000 inhabitants, most¬ 
ly Chinese, and not one friend or acquaintance. No 
wonder he stood gazing about with his heart beating 
hard in his bosom. What was there for a friendless 
stranger to do. Yet he had some hope of a friendly 
welcome. What was it? He had heard in England that 
among the English soldiers stationed in Hong-Kong 
there was a Sergeant Ross and a few praying Methodist 
soldiers. Consequently he hunted up the barracks and 
inquired for Sergeant Ross. 

“He is dead!” the man replied. 

Dead! The poor missionary’s hopes fled in an in¬ 
stant. To add to this grief the soldier continued by say¬ 
ing that the little praying band had since grown in¬ 
different and discontinued worship. But hark! what had 
he said? The corporal was still a loyal Christian and 
had often longed and prayed for a religious companion. 

These words from the soldier were to Piercy what 
an oasis in a desert is to the weary traveler. He had 
found a man who would understand his motives and 
would sympathize with him. Soon the missionary and 
corporal were brought into the sweet fellowship of 
Christian love. 

After hearing Mr. Piercy’s story the corporal con¬ 
ducted his new friend to Dr. Legge, a great hearted man 
of the London Missionary Society, who received the ven¬ 
turesome young missionary very kindly, saying, “Come 
to my house; I have a bed at your service. Tomorrow 
will bring us leisure to consider further.” In his kind 
host Piercy also found a valuable counselor. “Do nothing 
rashly, Mr. Piercy,” he advised. “Look around. Watch 
prayerfully for the moving of the cloud of providence. 
After ten or twelve days, perhaps, you will see your 


300 


GEORGE PIERCY 


way. In the meantime you are welcome to a bed and 
the room you have been in, in this house/’ 

Piercy did look around and found a room holding 
about sixty people, which he rented and then began 
preaching to the English soldiers. Meanwhile he also 
applied himself vigorously to the study of the Chinese 
language, besides studying medicine under Dr. Hersch- 
berg in the military hospital. God blessed his labors 
among the soldiers and their wives, so that he soon 
had a little society of twenty souls, who, as a proof of 
their piety, gave of their poverty towards the support 
of their heroic minister. Besides this small amount, 
friends in England sent him small sums. Thus God 
was faithful to his servant whom, by a special call of 
the Spirit, he had sent into China. 

Feeling that he had come to minister unto the blind 
Chinese and not to the enlightened English, Piercy de¬ 
cided to leave Hong-Kong for Canton. Here he could 
stand on the veranda of his temporary home and view the 
homes of five thousand heathen souls. The spectacle 
made him sad; and with a desire to do these poor, be- 
’ nighted creatures some good, he devoted himself with 
assiduity to the study of their tongue, while he also 
scattered religious Chinese tracts and Bibles and 
preached through an interpreter. With great patience 
and courage he labored, but it was difficult to gain the 
heathen’s attention. They seemed to think that his 
religion was good for foreigners, but did not apply to 
them. 

Yet some were willing to take Christian books and 
tracts, and a few asked questions through his interpreter. 
This encouraged him to still more diligent toil, until 
finally he was able to preach without an interpreter. 


INSPECTOR C. H. RAPPARD 


301 


Meanwhile his noble example gained enthusiastic 
supporters for the Methodist Mission in China and en¬ 
couraged others to join him in his labors. Thus, by 
calmly facing hardship, danger and possible death for his 
Master’s sake; by bravely placing himself on the altar 
of humanity, willing to be a sacrifice, if necessary, to 
bring a few Chinese idolaters to sing the praises of the 
Christ he loved, he was one of the first to begin mission¬ 
ary efforts in that great Chinese empire, which have 
since been continued with most glorious results. 


INSPECTOR C. H. RAPPARD 

The Pious and Learned Missionary 

From an ancient Swiss family sprung a man of God, 
Henry Rappard, in whose simple faith and childlike 
obedience we have an ideal example of the true Chris¬ 
tian. He was born in Geiz, as the first son of a 
Christian family. Many times his father earnestly im¬ 
pressed upon the lad’s mind: “My child, I have bap¬ 
tized you in the death of Christ, for Him shall you live, 
and not for the world and sin.” Thus the boy grew 
in both body and spirit, and in Loewenstein, at Schaff- 
hausen, whither the parents removed in 1845, he received 
his first instruction in the elementary branches of knowl¬ 
edge from his father. His mind early received deep 
religious impressions, which were well fostered when, 
in 1859, missionary Hebich visited the retired home of 
the peaceful family. 

Through the working of the spirit of God in his heart, 
Rappard was driven to enter the Christian ministry and 
in 1861, he left his parental home to prepare himself 
at St. Chrischona for this highest and most blessed of 



302 


INSPECTOR C. H. RAPPARD 


avocations. His relation to his Heavenly Father at that 
time may be inferred from an entry made in his note 
book at that time: “Lord, let me ever become homesick, 
when I am no longer with thee.” 

Being ordained, he embarked on ship-board for Egypt 
as a missionary. He was to take charge of Matthew 
Station in Alexandria, but on his arrival he was dis¬ 
appointed to find nothing. The disconsolate conditions 
there greatly taxed the young man's courage and en¬ 
thusiasm, but, believing that “obstacles were presented 
to us to be overcome,” he ardently delivered the message 
of his King in German, French and English, though with 
little apparent success. 

At this time he was united in marriage to Dora, the 
daughter of the Evangelical Bishop Gobat of Jerusalem. 
Soon afterwards he was called from his labors in the 
land of the Pharaos to the Inspectorate of St. Chris- 
chona, which was then vacant. The eyes of the appoint¬ 
ing committee had at once fallen upon our young mis¬ 
sionary, regarding whose piety as well as scholarship 
there was no doubt. 

With this call really began Rappard’s life’s work. Be¬ 
fore him lay the liquidation of the debt, and the elevating 
of the spirit of the institution. For the good of the soul 
and the mind of his students he heartily advocated the 
study of the Bible, as of more moment than scientific 
research. Aside from his labors in the institution Rap- 
pard preached each Sunday in the surrounding villages 
and in winter conducted a Bible study class in Basel. 

For a time clouds of sorrow hovered over St. Chris- 
chona. Rappard’s eldest son, Louis, became, in his 
youth, stricken with a disease of the lung. Shortly there¬ 
after his daughter, Minna, died of galloping consumption. 


INSPECTOR C. H. RAPPARD 


3°3 


while Rappard himself became very ill. Yet the dark 
clouds lifted again and the Master gave strength to bear 
the infliction. In the years 1879 and 1881, however, the 
angel of death returned to the home, bearing away two 
newborn sons, and in 1894, a hopeful youth. But in the 
darkest hours the angel of the Lord was ever present 
to hold the strengthening cup to his lips and give him 
new courage in the bearing of the cross. 

Meanwhile the Inspector did not feel quite satisfied 
with his work at Chrischona, for he felt stirring within 
him the spirit of a missionary. Finally his release came 
in the call of Haarbeck as second Inspector, and now he 
went abroad. Russia, Northern Germany and even the 
interior of North America received the bountiful bless¬ 
ing of the Lord from his hands. Upon the retirement 
of Haarbeck, however, Rappard was recalled to his old 
position. 

Though the Inspector was not a sparkling orator, 
but rather a quiet, simple preacher, yet the speaker of 
those simple words never failed to make a deep impres¬ 
sion on account of his pure and simple life, and his im¬ 
plicit faith in his beloved Savior, Jesus. 

The strength of his faith is well shown in the answers 
to prayer, which he experienced. While yet a student 
at school, he was for several days troubled with a severe 
toothache. When finally he deemed that he had suffered 
enough, he asked the Savior simply: “Lord, take away 
this toothache from me, it hinders me so very much in 
my work.” The prayer was answered at once. One 
pitch dark night, when on his way home he had lost his 
way, he asked: “Master, show me the way out of this 
dismal wood,” when a beam of light from his window 
caught his eye. 


304 


INSPECTOR C. H. RAPPARD 


In the second year of his inspectorate a number of 
missionaries were to be sent to America, but sufficient 
money was not on hand. The passage had already been 
arranged for, though the sum of 450 francs was still lack¬ 
ing. At first prayer to the Lord seemed unavailing, but 
when the matter was laid before God in a special meet¬ 
ing, an answer came in the next mail in the form of a 
letter containing exactly 450 francs sent by a lady who 
wrote that she had felt constrained to send the money, 
though all had not yet been collected that she had deter¬ 
mined to send. 

Rappard’s faith in the verity of the Bible was implicit. 
While making a voyage at sea, a fellow passenger noticed 
that Rappard read much in his New Testament, and 
remarked: “What, you also belong to the unenlightened, 
who cling to the old book? I believe of the Bible only 
as much as of a romance.” Rappard confessed his full 
faith in the Bible and said that it answered many im¬ 
portant questions concerning time and eternity. The 
passenger laughingly replied: “Such a thing I don’t 
need. I am a good man and shall get along alone.” 
“I don’t think so,” earnestly rejoined Rappard. “What 
makes you think so? I know my heart and am confident 
that I couldn’t—nor you either.” 

On the next day, the same person said to Rappard: 
“You may be right. I couldn’t sleep the whole night on 
account of your answer.” 

Rappard’s family life was ideal. The tenderest ties of 
love bound the members of the family close to each 
other, and between the Inspector and his wife existed 
an attachment which grew as the years passed by instead 
of diminishing. She was to him a valuable counsellor 
in all important projects. 


MARY REED 


305 


Work in St. Chrischona now increased. The institu¬ 
tion demanded all the Inspector’s time, and yet he did 
not want to sacrifice his evangelistic tours. A close 
observer could have noticed that he was overworked. 
On September 18, 1909, he journeyd to Basel to preside 
over a general conference in Hammerhuette. On the 
following day he preached in Giezen in two successive 
meetings, and on the following evening retired in 
apparently perfect health. In the morning, however, he 
did not appear at breakfast, and when the matter was 
investigated, he was found lying on the bed in his last 
long and peaceful sleep. The Lord had called him home. 


MARY REED 

Missionary Among the Lepers of India 

In a smiling valley in northern India, bordered by the 
snow-clad Himalayas, which tower above it with solemn 
grandeur, is a little cottage, kissed by the early morning 
beams of the rising sun, which linger over it lovingly 
until barred in the West by the “everlasting hills.” In 
this lonely retreat dwells a sweet-faced young woman, 
whose tender eyes sometimes turn a little wistfully 
towards the crimsoned West, where the land of her birth 
lies far away. Yet she cheerfully turns again to her 
special work of ministering to the forsaken, suffering 
ones about her, to which she has been “set apart” by her 
Heavenly Father. 

Miss Reed was born in Ohio, in a little town called 
“Crooked Tree.” After her conversion at sixteen years 
of age, she early received her call to the mission field. 
In 1884 she sailed for India, under the auspices of the 
Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist 



MARY REED 


306 

Episcopal Church. She began her labors in Cawnpore, 
an important old Mogul city, whose most sadly interest¬ 
ing spot is the historic well, into which the bodies of two 
hundred women and children cruelly murdered by the 
Sepoys were thrown. In this city Miss Reed was put 
in charge of the zenana work, the work among the native 
women. Since these, except the lowest class, were kept 
in the closest seclusion, the work could only be carried 
out on the plan of house-to-house visitation. 

The young woman was filled with a consuming zeal 
for the work, and went about her daily round of calls 
with untiring energy. Starting out about 10 o'clock in 
the morning, she would edge her way through the jost¬ 
ling crowd until she came to a zenana woman's apart¬ 
ment. Up dark flights of stairs, she went, through 
damp, chilly inner courts, which were generally reached 
by passing through the stables among the animals. Some 
were homes of wealth, but most were those of extreme 
poverty. Usually she was gladly received, but occasional¬ 
ly she was met with averted glances while the women 
drew back from coming in contact with her polluting 
touch and even avoided her shadow. Seated on a bed of 
woven rope she sang and talked to the group of dusky wo¬ 
men gathered about her, patiently answering their child¬ 
ish questions and endeavoring to impress upon their be¬ 
nighted minds the simple truths of the Gospel. As Miss 
Ninde, to whom we are indebted for these facts, states, 
Miss Reed seemed utterly oblivious to personal fatigue 
and only the increasing pallor of her face told of the 
weariness which she was too absorbed to heed. At two 
o'clock she returned home to write letters, plan the next 
day's work and to receive native callers. 

Several times a week she visited the ghats, the stone 


MARY REED 


30 7 


steps on the banks of the Ganges, where multitudes of 
Hindus came to worship and to bathe in the sacred 
waters of the river every morning. Here the missionary 
could not only meet a large number of women, but could 
talk to many women of the bigoted higher class, who 
would not admit a missionary into their homes. Taking 
her stand in the midst of the clamoring crowd, she began 
singing a native air set to Christian words, which the 
people like so well. At once the attention of the women 
was arrested, and many stopped to listen. Then Miss 
Reed explained to them the meaning of the hymn and 
told them of the 'lowly Jesus, who died on the cross for 
such as they. Some laughed and turned away. Others 
became rude and angry. Only a few seemed thoughtful. 
When her audience was scattered, she would repeat the 
exercises. To all who would receive it she gave Chris¬ 
tian literature. Thus people from all over the country 
were reached. Only the Heavenly Father knows what 
fruit this seed scattered broadcast brought forth. 

After five years of exhausting labor, Miss Reed 
returned home, much broken in health, and it was during 
this period of her life that her Omniscient Father revealed 
to her the special and difficult path, which she was to 
tread for the remainder of her life. For some time she 
had been troubled by a stinging pain in her right fore¬ 
finger. A curious spot also appeared on her cheek near 
the ear. From what she had seen during her Indian 
labors, she suspected that she had the leprosy. Eminent 
specialists of New York and London confirmed her diag¬ 
nosis as correct. A still, small voice now seemed to 
whisper to her, “You must go back to India and devote 
the rest of your life to work among the lepers.” Her 
decision was soon rendered. 


308 


MARY REED 


After making hasty preparations she now hurried 
back to India. She did not even kiss her mother good¬ 
bye, for she could not break the sad news to her, though 
she did tell her father and the farewell breathed out in 
his morning prayer, in which he told the All-Father of 
the sorrow that for her sake should be repressed, still 
rung in her ears. She left aill friends, all hope of life 
and the joy of life behind her and, clinging alone to her 
Jesus, to whom she now cried daily in prayer, she went 
with His strength to work in the land of her exile for 
the remainder of her life among the most loathsome 
wretches in the country. 

Upon arriving at India, Miss Reed went at once to 
the north and was made superintendent of the asylum for 
Jepers at Chandag Heights, among the Himalaya Moun¬ 
tains. This is one of several asylums in India under the 
Scotch and Irish organization called the “Mission to 
Lepers in India and the East.” These asylum grounds, 
covering sixty-six acres, were shut in by a low stone 
wall. Within the inclosure were the neat stone houses 
of the men, in the midst of well kept garden plots and 
not a mile distant were situated the homes of the women. 
For the treatment of the worst cases was a hospital with 
a dispensary attached, while near by was a chapel and 
Miss Reed’s little bunaglow. Leprosy abounded in this 
district and at the time of Miss Reed’s return to India 
there were about four hundred patients within a radius 
of ten miles about the asylum who should have been in 
the asylum. At first the poor sufferers are afraid to enter 
the institution, for what can be wanted of them, poor 
outcasts, but to put them to death? They know nothing 
of Christianity and the spirit of the “Good Samaritan” is 
as yet untaught to them in most cases. Therefore some 


MARY REED 


309 


already gained are often sent out in carts to advertise 
to the others the comforts they may have. 

After Miss Reed took charge of the work, the attend¬ 
ance increased steadily each year. A visiting missionary 
from Scotland thus described an interesting service which 
he held at the asylum: 

“At 10:30 o’clock we all assembled at the side of Miss 
Reed’s house, where the lepers might sit in the sun and 
be warm; it makes such a difference to them, poor 
things! At first the women assembled and employed 
their time singing hymns till the men should arrive up 
from Panahgah—‘Place of Refuge’—their home. I stood 
up and walked to the brow of the hill to see if there 
was any sign of the men and boys coming, when a touch¬ 
ing sight met my eye. I saw a long, straggling white 
line of very helpless creatures wending their way up the 
mountain side with considerable difficulty. At last they 
arrived and we got them all seated, and, ah! what a sight 
it was! In front of the women and close to us were seated 
three dear little girls with winsome wee faces, but all 
far gone in leprosy. Among the men were several boys 
with sad, wistful faces; one, a little Nepalese chap, had 
a specially pathetic look on his face. When all were 
ready we had a hymn and prayer; then I preached to 
them on an interview with Christ, illustrated by the 
story of the woman at the well. It was precious to tell 
out the riches of redeeming love to such an audience. 
The appreciative smiles, the nods of satisfaction, and the 
verbal answers I got from time to time showed that 
they understood and gladly received what I preached. 
We afterward asked those who had really given them¬ 
selves to Jesus and had received the gift of enternal 
life from him to rise. Quite a large number of both 


3io 


MARY REED 


men and women did so.Several also gave the 

most clear testimony to the blessed salvation they had 
received through Christ.” 

Besides her work at the asylum, Miss Reed also had 
the oversight of an encouraging and rapidly growing 
work among the women and children in a number of the 
villages which lie scattered through the neighboring 
valleys. This was carried on by the aid of native Bible 
' teachers and evangelists. 

After Miss Reed returned to India, thousands of 
prayers were sent up to the Throne of Grace that the 
Great Physician might heal her of her terrible dis¬ 
ease. Several times the report was spread abroad that 
she was healed, and indeed, the disease was wonderfully 
checked; but she was always conscious of its presence 
within. She was of a highly sensitive disposition, which 
most intensely loathes this complaint, but in regard to 
this she wrote, “I feel the power of God upon me in 
holding me quiet. What I pass through in my experi¬ 
ence no one knows.” 

What an example of heroism and resigned sacrifice! 
Miss Reed was indeed a soldier of the cross in the tru¬ 
est sense. Her life is deserving of emulation, for such 
is the womanhood and manhood which the Church and 
Christ need in order to conquer the forces of darkness. 


HENRY RICHARDS 

The Pentecostal Missionary on the Congo 

In 1879, Rev. Henry Richards was sent from England 
as missionary of the Livingstone Inland Mission and, at 
Banza Manteke, one hundred and fifty miles from the 
mouth of the Congo, established a mission station, after¬ 
wards transferred to the American Baptist Missionary 
Union. 

The people there had vague ideas about the great 
Creator, who made all things, but of whose love and good¬ 
ness they did not know and therefore would not trust 
and worship, but to the contrary bowed to idols whom 
they trusted to save them from sickness, death and dis¬ 
aster, but from whom they expected no direct blessings. 
They believed, however, in witchcraft as the fountain 
of all misfortune and were the unhappy victims of all 
manner of miserable superstitions. 

Richards first ministered to these people by preach¬ 
ing the law and expounding to them the precepts and 
principles of the “Ten Commanjdments.” But there 
seemed to be no power in such appropriation of the deca¬ 
logue to convert these people. They conceded the truth 
in the declaration of Sinai, but remained idolators just 
the same. Then Richards, in his perplexity and dis¬ 
couragement, resorting to prayer and meditation, re¬ 
called that the Savior’s commission is not, “Go ye into 
all the world and preach the law,” but “the Gospel .” 

Then came the turning point in Richards’ ministry. 
Now he determined simply to preach the Gospel. But 
again he was reminded that Christ’s disciples were bid¬ 
den to wait until they were endued “with power from on 
high.” He began preaching the Gospel and continued 
faithfully doing so until in the sixth chapter of Luke, 


HENR YRICHARDS 


312 

thirteenth verse, a new difficulty arose when he read: 
“Give to every man that asketh of thee.” How should 
he expound this passage of Scripture? These people 
were notorious beggars. They would ask for anything 
they fancied—his blanket, his knife, his plate—and when 
he would say he could not give these things to them they 
would say. “You can get more.” 

The hour of service was drawing near. Should he 
pass over that verse? Conscience replied this would not 
be honest dealing with God’s word. After a fortnight 
of prayer and consideration the missionary was equal to 
the occasion. He read to the people that verse: “Give 
to every man that asketh of thee.” Then he told them 
this was a very high standard, but that he meant to 
“live what he preached.” After the service he was be¬ 
sieged by the natives, who began to ask him for this and 
that, and he gave them whatever they asked for, won¬ 
dering whereunto this tirade of begging would lead. 
But the Lord came to his servant’s rescue in his per¬ 
plexity. The people were deeply impressed by this 
remarkable object-lesson. One day Richards overheard 
one of the natives saying: “I got this from the white 
man.” Then another said that he was going to ask him 
for such a thing. But a third said: “No, buy it if you 
want it. Another said: “This must be God’s man, we 
never saw any other man do so. Don’t you think if he 
is God’s man we ought to stop robbing him?” Grace 
was asserting its changing power in their hearts. From 
that on they rarely begged him for anything, and some 
even brought back what they had taken from him. 

Richards continued preaching the Gospel and seek¬ 
ing Holy Ghost power. God blessed his faithful messen¬ 
ger and his word. Lutale, the missionary’s assistant 


PETER TRIMBLE ROWE 


313 


translator, was the first convert. Others followed one by 
one, until ten were converted. All had to leave their 
homes, as they were threatened with death. The mis¬ 
sionary now shut up his house, and taking these new con¬ 
verts with him, went from town to town preaching the 
Gospel. The whole community was stirred and one 
soul after another was won over to Christ. Thus the 
work continued and was blessed until “all the people 
immediately around Banza had abandoned their heath- 
enism. ,, As a result of this glorious pentecostal re¬ 
vival more than a thousand names were enrolled on the 
list of those who gave evidence of real conversion. The 
beauty of it all was that the fruits of thsee Gospel vic¬ 
tories were genuine and abiding to honor God and bless 
the missionary cause in coming time. 


PETER TRIMBLE ROWE 

“The Hero of Alaskct* 

When the United States purchased the great north¬ 
ern region of Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000, many 
thought she had invested too much money in that great 
tract of desolate country abounding in snow and ice¬ 
bergs and polar bears; but it proved not so barren as it 
seemed, the climate in the southern portion proving 
rather bracing and delightful, the soil making excellent 
and fertile fields, while the discovery of gold brought to 
light an undreamed wealth, which, together with the 
product of the fisheries, amounted, in one year, to more 
than twice the sum spent in purchasing the country, and 
induced thousands of men all over the world to throw 
aside common and, to them, distasteful labor, to climb 
over the mountain trail on to the land of gold. Towns 



3H 


PETER TRIMBLE ROWE 


sprang up in a day, only to be broken up again, visited 
by sickness and hunger and despair. 

In such towns the Word of God was rarely heard, 
for many towns had five or more gambling saloons, but 
not one church. Such a town was once visited by Arch¬ 
deacon Stuck, the first minister to enter this field, in a 
visit to the most northerly gold field in the world. Of 
this experience he says: 

“Nothing could exceed the hospitality with which I 
was received. I spent Sunday, and every man knocked 
off work, though I am afraid this is not the general cus¬ 
tom. We had a cabin crowded with men for the ser¬ 
vices, and never preached to a more attentive and ap¬ 
preciative congregation* I shall never forget the vigor 
with which they sang ‘Jesus, Lover of My Soul/ and 
their reverent behavior throughout.” 

The greatest hero of Alaska, however, is Peter Rowe, 
the brave Bishop of the Episcopal church. His alias is 
“Hospital Bishop,” because of his zealous work in build¬ 
ing and equipping his “good Samaritan Inns” at strong 
points in the great northland. In October, 1907, the 
General Convention of the Church in Richmond tele¬ 
graphed him: 

“The House of Bishops, recognizing your long and 
faithful services in Alaska, unwilling that these should 
break you down prematurely and with warmest admi¬ 
ration and affection, have transferred you to the Dis¬ 
trict of Western Colorado.” 

His reply shows his truly great and self-denying 
spirit. He answered: “I appreciate with deep gratitude 
the kindness of the House of Bishops but I feel that in 
view of present conditions I must decline the honor of 
the transfer and continue in Alaska, God helping me.” 


MRS. JOHN SCUDDER 


3i5 


Bishop Rowe is willing to stand by his post, but he 
needs help. Some of the towns of Alaska now have 
Churches, reading rooms, hospitals and schools, but 
further back in the country, along the shores and rivers, 
live many Indians who can enjoy none of these Christian 
advantages. Thousands of them, who dwell in rude huts, 
hunting and fishing for a living, have not yet heard this 
marvelous story of a happier and higher life here and 
of the glorious life to come beyond the grave. They are 
born, raise children, spend their life in ignorance and die 
without a prayer or a word of praise to the God above. 
Shall they not hear the glorious news? Is the message 
not worth bringing to them? Let only some doctors, 
nurses and clergymen go to the men of the north and 
they will find them eager to come to Christ. 


MRS. JOHN SCUDDER 

In the Tiger 9 s Lair 

The first medical missionary to go from America to 
India was Dr. John Scudder. With self-sacrifice that was 
considerate only of others, he tramped through swamp 
and jungle with his Bible and doctor’s grip, faithfully 
aided by his heroic wife, until he himself, while on an 
important journey across India, was stricken with jungle 
fever and fell so low that it was reported to Mrs. Scudder 
that he would probably not recover. Upon hearing this 
she decided to go to him at once, despite the many 
dangers of a long journey through a jungle infested with 
wild beasts. 

Having borrowed a tent from a friend, prepared pro¬ 
visions and engaged bearers, she started out, accompanied 
by her little son. Desiring to reach her husband before 
his death, she decided to travel night and day. This 



3i6 


MRS. JOHN SCUDDER 


greatly increased the peril of the journey, since the many 
wild beasts, through whose domain they were passing, 
generally kept under cover during the day, but prowled 
about at night in search of prey. They traveled speedily 
on without mishap, however, until they reached the heart 
of the jungle, where the bearers became so terrified by 
the terrible din made by the beasts, apparently coming 
nearer, that they ran away and left tb^ defenseless 
woman and her infant alone in the infested jungle. 

Being now without any protection but that afforded 
Daniel in the lion’s den, she cried to God throughout the 
long and lonely hours of the night for that protection 
promised the followers of Jesus. Repeatedly she heard 
the heavy tramp of the elephants that could have crushed 
her tender life in an instant; then again the low threat¬ 
ening growl of the supple tiger, as he prowled around her 
tent, ready to spring at his victim. 

Of this incident her biographer remarks: “All night 
long they seemed to be circling round that little spot, 
but, ah! wonderful ‘but,’ God held them back. There 
was an innner circle. 'The angel of the Lord encampeth 
round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.’ ” 
No harm came to the missionary heroine or her child. 
The next morning the fugitive bearers returned to re¬ 
sume the journey and she at length reached Dr. Scudder 
to find him out of danger. 



CHRISTIAN FREDERIC SCHWARTZ 

The Great Missionary of South India 

Christian Frederic Schwartz was pre-eminently a 
typical man and a faith-hero almost without a peer in 
missionary history. By birth he was a German, by or¬ 
dination a Danish clergyman, and by long connection 
with “The Christian Knowledge Society,” a laborer for 
the Church of England. By this triple connection, con¬ 
sorting well with the many-sidedness of his character, 
Providence fitted him from an early age for his great 
life-work in the Master’s kingdom. 

His pious mother, when on her dying bed, dedicated 
him to the life and work of a missionary, and solemnly 
charged her husband and her pastor to faithfully regard 
this act of consecration. His youthful training on the 
part of his father, pastor and friends in the schools at 
Sonnenburg, Custrin and Halle were in accordance with 
his sainted mother’s wish and prayer. A religious book 
by Herman Francke was the means of confirming him 
in Christian principles and the good influence of Mis¬ 
sionary Schultze, who had labored twenty years in India, 
was the providential agency of directing him in the final 
resolve to become a missionary. His father, apprised 
of his son’s resolve, spent three days in silent and earnest 
prayer and then, coming from his solitary chamber, laid 
his hand upon the head of his son, the joy and pride of 
his life, gave him his parting blessing, and charged him 
to forget “his own country and his father’s house,” and 
go forth in the name of the Lord to win many souls for 
Christ. 

Young Schwartz, with that self-abnegation, which 
was the abiding characteristic of his totally consecrated 
life, in order to make sure that he might have nothing 


3i7 


3 i8 


CHRISTIAN FREDERIC SCHWARTZ 


to tempt him back or vex him with worldly cares, re¬ 
signed his share of his father’s estate to his brothers 
and sisters, and then, in spite of tempting offers to keep 
him in the ministry at home, placed himself at the dis¬ 
posal of the Halle-Danish Missionary Society. In 1749 
he and two others were ordained by the Danish bishop at 
Copenhagen as missionaries, and early the next year he 
sailed for India, landing at Tranquebar, July 30, 1750. 

Schwartz immediately began the study of the Tamil 
language and within four months of his landing preached 
his first sermon in that tongue. His marvelous linguistic 
acquirements made him a wonderfully efficient worker. 
He gained such command of English that he spoke and 
wrote like an Englishman. He mastered Persian, and 
that gave him a ready introduction to the courts of 
Mohammedan princes. He conquered Hindoostanee, and 
for this, as well as other reasons, he was selected by the 
British Government for the most difficult embassies. 
Besides he learned the Indo-Portuguese, in order to have 
access to the mixed race descending from Portuguese 
and Hindoos. Schwartz did everything thoroughly 
well. Even his sermons to the natives were prepared 
and delivered with great care. He employed all his time 
well and had the faculty of making others work as well 
as himself. With all he relied on God and the result 
was marvelous. His untiring missionary labors extend¬ 
ing through a period of forty-eight years, wrought an 
abundant gospel harvest of souls. To the present day 
his abiding influence is felt in the singularly successful 
missions of Mysone and Tinnevelly. 

During the first year of Schwartz’s labors 400 per¬ 
sons were added to the Tamul congregation, and this was 
only the beginning of greater victories won through all 
the years of his fruitful ministry. Bishop Heber esti- 


CHRISTIAN FREDERIC SCHWARTZ 


3i9 


mated the number converted by Schwartz’s direct labors 
as between six and seven thousand, while the number 
christianized by the agencies he directed was much 
greater. Before he died he could travel through dis¬ 
tricts and see along mountain sides little Christian 
churches, where, when he first came to India, was the 
den of the jackal or the lair of the tiger. From his 
garden at Tanjore he could overlook whole villages of 
Christians. 

In his home at Tanjore, where he built an orphan 
asylum and devoted the last twenty years of his life to 
the care and instruction of poor children, he died tri¬ 
umphant in the Christian faith on February 18th, 1798, 
in the seventy-second year of his age. Not only in gos¬ 
pel labors but also in important diplomatic achievements 
his beautiful life was fruitful of blessings to mankind 
and not only churches but kingdoms mourned his death. 
All Tanjore wept for him, like Israel at the death of 
Samuel. 

His memory is still revered by Christians, Hindoos 
and Mohammedans. He laid broad and deep the founda¬ 
tions of the Christian Church in India. He was the first 
to institute and maintain a native ministry for Hindoo- 
stan, and left it as his dying testimony, that the work 
of the Christian missionary is “The most honorable and 
blessed service in which any human being can be em¬ 
ployed in this world.” 


JOHN HENRY SCHMIDT 

Wrestling With a Leopard 

While engaged in missionary work among the Hot¬ 
tentots in South Africa, John Schmidt, a Moravian mis¬ 
sionary, had an experience very similar to David’s en¬ 
counter with a lion and a bear while defending his 
father’s sheep from these wild beasts. 

Since the flocks of the station had been constantly 
ravaged and considerably diminished in size by hyenas 
and, as a crisis, an unusually large number of sheep and 
goats had been carried off in August, 1811, Schmidt and 
a party of natives started out to execute just punish¬ 
ment on the race of audacious thieves. 

A hyena was wounded early in the hunt, but he 
escaped and effectually hid himself in the bush. After 
a long search, Schmidt was already abandoning the chase, 
when he heard the dogs barking and the people beginning 
to shout loudly. Supposing that the hyena had been at 
last discovered, he leaped from his horse and ran to 
the spot whence the shouting came. To his dismay he 
found that his supposed hyena was a leopard. 

With a terror that beggars description, the Hotten¬ 
tots were all fleeing for their lives, except one faithful 
man, named Philip, who bravely stood his ground and 
prepared to defend himself. His attempt, however, was 
of little avail, for the beast instantly sprang upon him 
and pinned him down. 

Schmidt was anxious to shoot the animal, but dared 
not, since, on account of the leopard’s position, he could 
not shoot at it without endangering the life of the native. 
His efforts to aid that poor fellow, however, soon at¬ 
tracted the attention of the leopard, who left his first 
victim to spring upon the missionary. The attack was 


320 


JOHN HENRY SCHMIDT 


321 


at such close quarters that Schmidt was unable to use 
his gun, and the only alternative left him was a wrestle 
for life or death. 

Intending to summarily crush the life out of its brave 
antagonist with one blow, the leopard aimed a powerful 
stroke at the man with its gigantic paw; but Schmidt suc¬ 
ceeded in warding this off with his uplifted arm. Then 
changing its mode of attack, the leopard snapped its 
jaws about Schmidt’s elbow and severly wounded him. 
Slashing at him with its paws, it tore the clothing from 
his breast. The missionary, however, clutched the ani¬ 
mal’s throat in one hand and its forepaw in the other 
and with superhuman strength lent from heaven above, 
flung the huge beast to the ground and planted his knee 
firmly on its breast! 

Though the wounded Philip was unable to assist his 
companion, his cries mingled with those of the bleeding 
Schmidt now brought a few of the terrified natives back 
and one of them, placing the muzzle of his gun over the 
prostrate leopard’s heart, ended the fierce struggle. 

Terribly torn and bleeding and suffering excruciating 
pain, Schmidt was carried to his home. A raging fever 
at once set in, so that for many days he lingered on the 
verge of the grave. Gradually, however, both he and 
Philip recovered, and he was able to prosecute the great 
labor of sacrifice and love for which he had taken up his 
residence among the negroes of South Africa. 



JOHN SEYS 

Of Liberia 

At a time when the fatal Liberian fever was draw¬ 
ing a heavy toll from .the white missionaries in that 
country, John Seys, high in hopes, landed on the shores 
of Monrovia. The only one to meet him and bid him 
welcome to that land of death was a young woman, 
emaciated, pale and feeble in person, Miss Farrington, 
the sole remaining representative of the first band sent 
out by the Methodist Missionary Board. How Seys felt 
may be judged from his words, “Never will I forget my 
first emotions as I took the hand of, and was welcomed 
to Africa by the only representative of the Methodist 
Episcopal Mission in that country, and that representa¬ 
tive a delicate, frail, emaciated woman/’ 

John Seys was a native of Santa Cruz in the West 
Indies. Becoming converted through the influence of 
some Wesleyan missionaries from England, he was la¬ 
boring as a missionary among the Oneida Indians in 
New York when he received a letter from Bishop Hed- 
ding asking him, “Will you go to Liberia? Your birth 
and early life in a climate so nearly like that of the Afri¬ 
can coast may have fitted you to resist the fever which has 
proved so fatal to our lamented Cox.” Seys read this 
letter to his wife and asked her opinion. With heroic 
self-sacrificing spirit she not only did not dissuade him, 
but offered to accompany him to the dangerous field. 

Immediately preparation for the departure was made 
in their little household; but just then Mr. Spaulding 
arrived from Liberia, bearing the sad news of the deadly 
effects of the African fever. The Church was shocked; 
and the missionary authorities naturally asked, “Ought 
we to send another family into the jaws of death?” 


322 


JOHN SEYS 


323 


Bishop Hedding wrote to Seys, “I will release you from 
your appointment if, in view of the recent loss of life 
in the mission, you so desire.” 

Here was yet an opportunity to honorably escape 
the deadly peril of the station. If the noble-hearted Seys 
had possessed the least spark of moral cowardice in his 
breast, he would have seized it greedily; but, being 
throughout a man of heroic mold, he with justifiable 
scorn refused to give up the mission to which he now 
felt that God had called him. 

Therefore he set sail in September, 1834, but with¬ 
out wife and children, for sickness necessitated the hero¬ 
ic lady’s remaining behind while her husband, accepting 
with agonized heart the unlooked-for test of his mission¬ 
ary devotion, crossed the Atlantic with only a young 
colored preacher named Francis Burns as his companion. 
Upon gaining the port of Monrovia, news of more death 
awaited him. Two more Presbyterian ministers had been 
stricken, a third was sick, while the governor of the 
colony was in a similar condition. Seys’ courage, how¬ 
ever, did not leave him. “This is sad news,” he wrote; 
“but this is no time for our courage to fail us.” 

Only the highest type of heroic faith could have sus¬ 
tained his hopeful courage under these circumstances. 
After the sad news of the day and the emaciated, weak 
frame of Miss Farwell, who had received the new mis¬ 
sionary, had impressed upon him what the invisible pes¬ 
tilence of the place might in the future inflict upon him, 
he realized at night that he was lying on the same bed 
from which the spirit of the lamented Cox had taken its 
flight. Surely these circumstances would have saddened 
any but a noble mind; but Seys wrote of this first night 
spent on Cox’s bed: 


324 


BARNABAS SHAW 


“Sweet and refreshing rest was soon vouchsafed us 
(speaking also of Burns) and it was as sound and as 
safe as though we had been in a palace in Europe!” 

Thus free from the fear of death and active in the 
service of his Lord, Seys labored with great devotion and 
success among the benighted Africans. The deadly 
fever assailed, but did not kill him; so he was spared to 
do a blessed work for Christ and for Liberia. 


BARNABAS SHAW 

Pioneer Among the Little Namaquas 

In 1816 a great, heavy wagon, covered with canvas 
and drawn by a team of sixteen oxen, and behind this a 
small flock of sheep, driven by several Hottentots, was 
checked from its usual speed of ten miles a day by a 
native Namaqua belonging to the party who announced, 
“The chief of the Little Namaquas, with four of his 
people, is coming!” 

The chief approached and said that he had heard 
of the “Great Word,” and that he was on his way to 
Cape Town, in search of a missionary to teach him 
and his people this Word. The heart of one of the 
missionaries in the canvas-covered wagon, that of Mr. 
Shaw, leaped for joy. After hearing the story of the 
chief, he thought he saw the finger of God directing him 
to this tribe, as a suitable field of labor, and eagerly 
answered, “I will go with you to your kraal.” The de¬ 
lighted heathen chief shed tears of joy. 

When he came to Africa, Barnabas Shaw had re¬ 
ceived orders from the Wesleyan Missionary Committee 
to found a Mission station in South Africa; but his 
efforts to carry out his directions in Cape Town had 
been checked by the flat refusal of the governor, Lord 



BARNABAS SHAW 


325 


Somerset, to permit him to preach on the grounds that 
both the Dutch and English preachers there and the 
slave holders objected. What was he to do? He learned 
that some pious English soldiers regularly met in a 
prayer room hired for the purpose and to them Shaw 
preached the “first Methodist sermon ever heard in 
South Africa.” Encouraged in this opening, he also 
preached in two other military stations within twenty 
miles of Cape Town; yet he was not satisfied. He had 
come to reach the natives, the Hottentots, the Kaffirs 
and other negroes- God directed him through the visit 
of a Missionary Schmelen and a dozen converts from 
the land of the Namaquas to Cape Town. Upon meet¬ 
ing Mr. Shaw that true-hearted gentlemen gave him a 
hearty invitation to return with him to the land of the 
Namaquas and, Mrs., Shaw consenting, the invitation 
was gladly accepted. 

It was while Mr. Schmelen was making the return 
trip to this station among the Namaquas, surmounting 
the usual African obstacles of rough roads, over-flow¬ 
ing rivers without bridges, stretches of desert without 
water, steep stony hills and swampy vales, that Mr. 
Shaw received and accepted the invitation of the Little 
Namaquas already mentioned. 

The generous Schmelen having escorted Shaw the 
remaining two hundred miles to the home of this in¬ 
quiring chief, the latter’s people gave their missionary 
as hearty a reception as could be desired. Finding 
them willing to aid him in every possible way and 
eager to be taught, Mr. Shaw decided to remain at 
Lily Fountain, as the place was nkmed, and there to 
found the first Wesleyan Mission in South Africa. 

The first problem before our missionary, as before 


326 


BARNABAS SHAIV 


all Christian missionaries in heathen countries, was the 
building of a Christian habitation with such furniture 
as tables, bedsteads and chairs. The Namaquas at¬ 
tempted to assist their teacher, but, being unused to 
steady work and unacquainted with the use of tools, they 
could help little and Mr. Shaw had to be mainly his own 
workman. He toiled cheerfully, preached to the natives 
through an interpreter, studied their language, opened a 
school and explored the country as far as the Orange 
River. Despite the wearisome work and the many pri¬ 
vations, faith in their work and hope for the blessing of 
God made the happy missionary pair strong in courage 
and patience. 

The good seed sown by them soon began to spring 
up. The negroes gradually became more civilized in 
habits of labor and life, and some were led to weep over 
their sins and seek Jesus. Only eight months after his 
arrival, Mr. Shaw had the great joy of baptizing seven¬ 
teen adult converts and eleven children. 

Sending this good news to England, Mr. Shaw 
asked for more teachers, which were promptly sent; and 
then the work spread in many directions, continuing for 
ten years under the supervision of its zealous pioneer 
and his faithful and heroic wife. 

The labor was attended by many unavoidable 
dangers. Lions were very numerous and dangerous in 
South Africa, though a greater danger lay in venomous 
snakes, especially the puff adder, one of which was once 
discovered under the missionaries* bed, a timely dis¬ 
covery which very likely saved them from a sudden 
death that night. Another danger lay in attacks from 
the vile Bushmen, who were not loath to kill a mis¬ 
sionary for the few articles he carried with him, and 


HARRIET BRADFORD STEWART 


32 7 


at whose hands, indeed, one of Mr. Shaw’s assistants 
lost his life. 

In 1827 Mr. and Mrs. Shaw with their son Bar¬ 
nabas, the only one suriviving of three children, returned 
to England to rest and recruit their strength. In 1829 
Mr. Shaw returned to Cape Town; but, his wife’s health 
failing, he returned to England and for six years 
preached successfully on English circuits. At the end 
of that time a loud cry for helpers from Namaqualand 
again called the Christian warrior to the field of action. 
On account of his declining health, however, he did 
not go further than Cape Town, where he did circuit 
work until June, 1857, when he took his appointed place 
before the great white throne of the King of kings. 


HARRIET BRADFORD STEWART 

Of the Sandwich Islands 

In 1823 Rev. C. S. Stewart and his accomplished 
companion arrived on their sacred mission in Hawaii, 
the country whose speedy change from all the horrible 
vices of barbarianism to the holy service of God was 
astonishing even to the declarers of the Holy Word. 
Mr- Bingham, who shortly preceded the Stewart family, 
speaking of the condition of the people on his arrival, 
says, “The nation had, on our arrival, neither books, pen 
or pencil, for amusement or business, or for acquiring 
information or communicating thought. They sat, like 
Turks or tailors, on mats spread on the ground; dipped 
their fingers in the dish to eat their fish, poi and dog 
flesh, without knife, fork or spoon. They stretched them¬ 
selves at full length on the mats to play cards or other¬ 
wise kill time. Their water they drank from a gourd 
shell; and awa, the juice of a narcotic root, chewed by 



3^8 


HARRIET BRADFORD STEWART 


others and mixed with water in the chewers’ mouth, 
they drank, as their fathers had done, from a cocoa- 
nut shell, for the same purpose that other intoxicating 
drinks and liquors are taken.” 

The nobles were as ignorant, degraded and uncivil¬ 
ized as the common people. They were clad in a cos¬ 
tume consisting of perhaps a string of beads about the 
neck, a girdle about the waist and some feathers in their 
hair. Collar and tie, hat, gloves, shoes and stockings, 
shirt and pants were unheard of. 

To these savages Harriet Stewart came to teach the 
Gospel and the arts of civilization. Her maiden name 
was Harriet B. Tiffany. She was born in Stamford, 
Conn., on June 24, 1798. She inherited many of the 
noble qualities of an illustrious line of ancestors. She 
passed her youth in Stamford, Albany and Coopers- 
town, endearing herself by many acts of kindness, to 
all who knew her, and grew up to womanhood cherished 
and loved by all who came into the circle of her influence. 
In 1819 she gave her heart to God, after repeated afflic¬ 
tions, the death of her friends and her own sickness 
caused her to feel the need of a strong arm and a firm 
hope. 

The great subject of a missionary life was first pre¬ 
sented to her view, connected with a proposal to ac¬ 
company Rev. C. S. Stewart to the Sandwich Islands 
as his assistant and companion. With conscientious 
anxiety she submitted the case to the wise direction of 
her Father in heaven—on earth she had none. It was 
no easy matter for a young lady of high and honorable 
connections, surrounded with friends and accustomed to 
refinement and luxury, to leave all these for the Hawaiian 
barbarians; but, believing herself called upon by God, 


HARRIET BRADFORD STEWART 


329 


•she ignored the sacrifice and self-denial required by the 
undertaking and decided in his favor. 

She was married to Mr. Stewart in Albany on June 
3, 1822. Appointed as missionaries of the American 
Board, they sailed in company with a large number of 
others destined for the same glorious, but laborious, 
service. Arriving at Honolulu in April of the following 
year, they soon removed to Lahaina, a town of about 
twenty-five thousand inhabitants, mostly in a degraded 
condition. Here were extended to them but few of the 
conveniences of life, and they were obliged to live in 
little huts affording but poor shelter from the scorch¬ 
ing sun and the pelting rain. Yet the child of luxury 
and wealth abode in these miserable tenements in per¬ 
fect contentment and eagerly performed the duties of her 
station. Though she suffered, she did not complain, and 
she did not become weary of hard labor, but cheerfully 
smiled even at her privations and sorrows. 

In 1825 she was unable to labor longer for her 
heathen sisters on account of failing health. She sailed 
for England in order to obtain medical advice and care, 
but on the voyage she continued to decline, until the 
hopelessness of her case became apparent. Her resi¬ 
dence of a few months in England having done her no 
permanent good, she embarked for America in July, I 826 , 
arriving among her friends the mere shadow of what 
she had been when a few years previously she had left 
them in the flush of youth and the vigor of health. 

For a time there was hope of her recovery. The 
balmy breezes of her native valley, the kindness of her 
friends and the interest and excitement attendant on her 
return to scenes of youth again gave color to her cheek 
and life to her step. In the early part of 1830, however. 


330 


HARRIET BRADFORD STEWART 


these hopes were blasted. After a long sickness—so long 
that she groaned to be released and be with Jesus,—death 
found in her a ready and willing victim, who exclaimed 
as she entered in through the pearly gates of heaven, 
“O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy 
victory ?” Though racked with pain and tortured by 
disease, she murmured not, but was a remarkable instance 
of Christian submission and resignation under sufferings, 
leaving to surviving friends the joyful evidence that she 
had passed away to rest. 

About the time of his wife's death, Rev. C. S. Stewart 
wrote a beautiful and thrilling description of a Sabbath 
in an island where, but a few years before, nothing but 
gross heathenism and idolatry had prevailed. Even 
before his breakfast, he wrote, he could see figures, 
enveloped in large mantles of various hues, singly or in 
small groups, wending their way among the groves fring¬ 
ing the bay towards the chapel. Their numbers con¬ 
stantly increased until in a short time every path along 
the beach and over the uplands presented an almost 
unbroken procession of both sexes and of every age, all 
pressing to the house of God. Mr. Goodrich went ashore 
to begin the services, soon followed by Mr. Stewart and 
several friends. When the latter approached the Chapel 
they found large numbers of people hovering about the 
doors, unable to find places within. Inside the chapel was 
“packed” with attentive listeners, who were seated on the 
floor, which covered more than 9,000 square feet, so 
closely together that Mr. Stewart, on entering, could 
scarcely gain the platform from the difficulty of finding 
a spot even to place his footsteps without treading on 
the limbs of the people. They were mostly attired in 
their native fashion, “but the breathless silence, the eager 


FANNIE J. SPARKES 


331 


attention, the half-suppressed sigh, the tear, the various 
feelings—sad, peaceful, joyous—discoverable in the faces 
of the many, all spoke the presence of an invisible but 
omnipotent Power—the Power that can alone melt and 
renew the heart of man, even as it alone brought it first 
into existence. ,, 

Since the death of Mrs. Stewart at Cooperstown, the 
church has with faith and confidence exerted itself to 
save those islands from barbarism and ignorance. Men 
and women have gone out to preach Jesus and the Cross 
with wonderful success. The natives have responded 
nobly, and success is imminent, all through the grace of 
Jesus Christ, our Lord. 


FANNIE J. SPARKES 

Superintendent of the Girls 9 Orphanage at 
Barielly, India 

A well educated young lady of Binghamton, N. Y., 
soon after her conversion in 1869, heard in her heart 
a call to the mission field of India. Upon his return 
from that field, Mr. Judd repeated the call, as did her 
pastor, her Presiding Elder and the ladies of the Mis¬ 
sionary Society. These expressed wishes and convictions 
of her friends satisfied her that she was chosen by her 
Master to bear these glad tidings; but her parents, cling¬ 
ing to her with tender affection, refused to let her go, 
and while they were unwilling, she suffered intensely. At 
length, however, Jesus gained the victory, the parents 
consented to her departure for His sake, and she took 
passage for Bombay. 

Arriving there safely, she was directed to go to 
Barielly, and take charge of a Girls’ Orphanage in that 



332 


FANNIE J. SPARKES 


city. There she labored conscientiously and with success, 
teaching the ignorant, dusky little girls of India Christian 
truth and principles. 

After eight years of labor in the strange and unhealthy 
climate of India, her strength was worn out and she was 
compelled to return to her native land. The joy of her 
friends and especially of her parental family upon her 
return can be better imagined than described. After the 
first greetings had been spoken, the joyful father began 
the song, “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,” 
and all the assembled household joined in, singing it with 
a joyous gratitude that made 'the house ring with the 
melody of the old hymn. 

For eighteen months Miss Sparkes remained at home, 
speaking in the meantime to one hundred missionary 
meetings in various parts of the country, and then she 
was ready to return to her Orphange in Barielly, which 
she had grown to love dearly. Her farewell words to her 
friends at home give us a true insight into the spirit 
which prompts missionaries to sacrifice home, friends and 
^ the joys of life at home for the mission field. She said, 
“Saying good-bye is not all sacrifice. There is so much 
joy in the thought of carrying the light of life to the 
heathen women, that had I a thousand lives, I would 
gladly lay them all upon the altar of this service.” 

Who can fail to honor such a truly noble and heroic 
spirit? 


CLARA SWAIN 

The First Lady Physician Missionary 

Miss Clara Swain, of Elmira, New York, of a very 
sprightly mind, but also of earnest piety from childhood, 
was the first medical lady missionary sent to the East. 
Having graduated from the Woman's Medical College 
in 1869, she was chosen in answer to a call for a lady 
physician in Barielly. She arrived there on January 20, 
1870. 

Upon rising the next morning she found a group of 
native Christian women and children sitting on the 
veranda, anxiously waiting for her appearance. She 
began her work at once among the native Christian 
women in the village and among the servants within the 
mission compound- Soon the news spread that a lady 
had arrived from America, who would visit any family 
that summoned her, and that any person visiting the mis¬ 
sion-house would receive her attention and medicine free 
of charge. She did not long lack patients. Within three 
months she visited the sick in fifteen families, five of 
which were of high caste. Of course, she was then yet 
always attended by some reliable interpreter. 

In the beginning of March, she organized a class in 
medicine, consisting of fourteen girls from the orphanage, 
and three married women, whom she instructed thorough¬ 
ly in the elements of medicine, so that on April 10, 1873, 
thirteen members passed a satisfactory examination 
before two civil surgeons and Rev. Dr. Johnson and were 
presented certificates permitting them to practice in all 
ordinary diseases. 

Soon after graduation all these girls were married 
except one, who became a leper and was sent to the 
Leper Asylum in Almorah. Most in the class married 


333 


334 


CLARA SWAIN 


Christian teachers or native ministers, whom they could 
then help much more effectively and intelligently on 
account of their medical education. 

Soon Miss Swain’s increasing practice demanded more 
spacious and better quarters for the treatment of the sick. 
A hospital became not a luxury, but a plain necessity, and 
where to purchase suitable ground to build and where to 
secure the money required were two puzzling questions* 
Naturally their eyes first fell on a most suitable and con¬ 
venient place for the buildings adjoining the mission 
premises; but it was owned by a Mohammedan, of whom 
they could not expect that he would sell his property. An 
attempt at the purchasing of the land, or at least of a 
part of it, was, nevertheless, advised, and accordingly it 
was decided that Mr. Thomas, of the station, should 
make inquiries of the owner, his highness the Prince 
Nawab, residing in the city of Rampore, about forty miles 
from Barielly. 

His highness granted permission for a personal inter¬ 
view, and to take out the small party of Mr. and Mrs. 
Thomas, Miss Swain and a native Christian gentleman 
who, having formerly been of the Mohammedan faith, 
knew something of their royal etiquette, the prince sent 
out twenty-four horses, a grand old carriage, coachman, 
two grooms and outriders. Leaving home at 5:00 o’clock 
a. m., they changed horses every six miles until they 
neared the city, where three cavalrymen joined them to 
escort them through the city amidst the bows and salaams 
of the prince’s subjects and cries of “Long life and 
prosperity,” from the children. 

Mr. and Mrs. Parker of Mordabad, apprised of their 
intended visit, were awaiting them, and they were made 
very comfortable, in splendid quarters and a good meal. 


CLARA SWAIN 


335 


which awaited them. The prince, however, being just 
then busily engaged in prayers, postponed the interview 
until the morrow, but sent them some splendid music 
boxes and his trained men to perform before them by 
way of entertainment. 

Early the next morning the visitors were conducted 
into the presence of the prince. He received them very 
cordially and at once relieved their embarrassment by 
entering into friendly conversation. At length the prime 
minister, after whispering a few words to the Nawab and 
receiving a sign of assent, told Mr. Thomas to make his 
request known. Accordingly the missionary stated that 
he wished to secure, upon some definite terms, the estate 
adjoining the mission premises for the purpose of erect¬ 
ing a hospital for women and children. Before he could 
proceed further, the Mohammedan prince answered: 
“Take it; take it; I give it with pleasure for such a pur¬ 
pose.” It being an inheritance from his father, he was 
not allowed to sell it, but could only give it away if he 
would part with it. The party could hardly recover from 
the surprise occasioned by so generous a gift to thank 
the prince; but they also thanked the gracious Father 
above. 

A hospital and dispensary were, in due time, erected 
upon the property, and the work was pursued with better 
facilities and better results. 


WILLIAM TAYLOR 

Missionary Bishop of Africa 

Descended of good American stock, which could be 
traced from the time of the Revolutionary war, William 
Taylor was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, May 
2, 1821. Though, as the first child of a family of five 
sons and six daughters, his early life was doubtless not 
soberly quiet, yet the warm, enthusiastic faith of his 
father for the Methodist Church early directed his life 
and marked him out for the ministry, so that, when 
twenty-one years of age, he was sent to his first appoint¬ 
ment by the presiding elder. 

His method of winning souls for Christ was simple, 
yet forceful. At Red Holes he joined the men in log^ 
rolling on the afternoon before religious services, and, 
by winning their admiration by his exhibition of manly 
strength—for he was a remarkably strong, well-built man 
—he at once gained friends and listeners to the Word 
in these rough mountaineers. At Georgetown, one of 
his later appointments, one of his class-leaders, “a man 
of great physical proportions and power,” desired to 
match his strength with him. At first Taylor put him 
off, saying, “Oh, my dear brother, I don’t want a reputa¬ 
tion of that sort;” but finally, one day, while Taylor, with 
several other guests was at tea with one of his members, 
the big class-leader entered and, as he was shaking hands 
with the minister said, “Brother Taylor, I have come to 
throw you down,” and, so saying, pinned the parson’s 
arms in his embrace and threw him down upon the 
floor in the presence of the company. Jumping to his 
feet, Taylor then said that, with a fair hold, he would 
show him what he could do. Then, after each had taken 
his hold, Taylor, placing his hand in the small of his 


336 


WILLIAM TAYLOR 


337 


opponent’s back, laid him neatly on the floor. The wrest¬ 
ling was done in the best of sportsmanlike spirit, and no 
more was said of it; but since then they became intimate 
and constant friends. 

Later while in Boston, Bishop Waugh asked him to 
begin a mission in California, where the discovery of 
gold was drawing hordes of adventurers. Taylor’s answer 
was that, since he had entered the ministry not to preach 
at any definite place, but in obedience to the command, 
“Go ye into all the world preach the Gospel to 
every creature,” he was willing. Accordingly he and his 
wife set sail for California via Cape Horn, in 1849, tak¬ 
ing with them a portable chapel 24x36 feet. Upon arrival, 
since everything there was exceedingly costly, and even 
the rent for a shanty approximated $500 a month, he went 
into the woods, cut the timber, hauled it and built a house 
himself, making his work self-supporting almost from 
the start. For seven years he worked among miners, 
sailors, and merchants, preaching on the streets, in the 
chapel and in the hospitals, and dealt with tact and 
love with all classes of the crude, heterogeneous society 
of the new city. 

Thence he went to the Eastern States and Canada, 
where he applied himself strenuously to his work. He 
had what one may fitly call “the locomotive habit.” 
“I think I could count on my fingers,” said Taylor, “the 
times I failed through a period of fifty years to keep my 
appointments, and they were on account of snow-drifts 
and floods well known to the people.” His energy of 
speech was wonderful; his preaching was in the manner 
of direct personal conversation, in keeping with the exact 
circumstances. 


338 


WILLIAM TAYLOR 


In February, 1862, while preaching in Peterboro, 
Canada, he met a gentleman, who had been in Australia, 
and who told him of the conditions there. Going out 
into the forest, he kneeled down on the snow-covered 
ground, and asked his Father whether he ought to go to 
Australia. He was convinced that he should; and, send¬ 
ing his family back to California, he sailed on August 
1, 1862 for his new field, via Liverpool. In England and 
Ireland he worked as an evangelist and then departed 
for the Holy Land, during the tour of which his long, 
patriarchal beard secured for him reverential treatment 
at the hands of the orientals. 

In Australia he conducted evangelistic campaigns for 
three years. During this time the three annual sessions 
of the Australian Conference reported a net increase 
in their churches of over eleven thousand members. 

From Australia he was planning to go to India; but 
for the present an unforeseen delay was occasioned by 
the sickness of his son, to whose bed-side he was called. 
On the steamer which bore him thither and which was 
crowded by a fast set of young men, he wrote a book 
on holiness, in the midst of card-playing, smoking, curs¬ 
ing and joking—an admirable example of concentration. 
The reunion with his family, from which he had been 
absent for four years, was one of joy and pain com¬ 
mingled. Tearfully he kissed his wife and elder children 
and then went to Stuart, the youngest son, who was then 
struggling with a serious illness. Dr. Moffat, an eminent 
medical missionary, in consultation with another, was 
doing all in his power for the lad. Taylor and his two 
remaining sons then retired to the suburbs of the city 
and prayed with all the earnestness of a broken heart 
for the recovery of the dear boy, and not in vain. Soon 


WILLIAM TAYLOR 


339 


Stuart began to recover, and, following medical advice, 
Taylor and his family went to South Africa. 

Here Taylor preached to English, Dutch and to the 
natives with his usual power, though he had some 
difficulty in obtaining interpreters, who would speak 
with his force and directness. M!ost of his time was 
spent among the Kaffirs, conducting revivals and organiz¬ 
ing the work. 

His next work was in Australia and Tasmania again, 
after a hasty visit to Europe in 1869 and 1870, and then 
he set sail for India, landing in Bombay on November 
20, 1870. Going straightway to the Methodist center 
of work at Lucknow, Ire began his campaign in earnest. 
His chief work was done among the Eurasians, a large 
class of mixed European and Indian blood, for whom 
thus far little had been done. He urged that their souls 
were as precious as any and that there was a great deal 
of strength among them, which should be in use in the 
evangelization of India. Besides these, he also brought the 
message home to Parsees, Hindus and Mohammedans. 
The work grew greatly under his enthusiatic, tireless 
activity, and he was made superintendent of the churches, 
which were established upon the independent basis in 
which he believed. Though this basis could not be long 
continued and the work which he had founded in India 
and elsewhere passed into connection with the regular 
machinery of the church, still his influence was of in¬ 
finite assistance. His work was to give the great initial 
impulse. 

In 1877, he returned from India to America, where 
his time was given to home missionary labors until fall 
of the same year, when he departed for South America. 
Since the funds were low he sailed in the steerage. 


340 


WILLIAM TAYLOR 


Landing on the western coast, he found many foreign 
communities willing to promise support to teachers, if 
they were sent. Here was a rare opportunity and Taylor 
was not the man to let it slip. Returning to the United 
States, he obtained twelve men and six women, whom 
he sent out to support themselves and to do such mis¬ 
sionary work as they could in the northern portion 
of South America. Though some became disheartened 
and returned, many remained and established some use¬ 
ful and influential schools which still remain. 

In 1884, the “rugged old warrior/’ now grown gray, 
was appointed Missionary Bishop of Africa. When 
nominated for this office, he hurriedly inquired whether 
it would interfere with his self-supporting mission work, 
and submitted to election only when assured that the 
design was quite the opposite; that he was to be “turned 
loose” in Africa to introduce his self-supporting methods. 
With a company of over forty men, women and children 
he bravely started for the Dark Continent. Though a 
few of his missionaries grew discouraged and returned 
home, the vast majority settled in Angola and began 
their work bona fide. 

Returning to Europe, Taylor saw the King of 
Portugal, in whose territory he had begun his new work, 
and also visited the King of Belgium, the head of the 
Congo Free State, in which a second chain of stations 
was soon afterward begun. Taylor’s great work con¬ 
sists in lifting his church in Africa out of the narrow 
limits of Liberia and committing it to a continental task. 

After he had labored twelve years in Africa he re¬ 
tired from active duty. To the objections of his many 
friends, who protested that to put his name on the list 
of retired heroes was a mistake, he replied that he had 


WILLIAM TAYLOR 


34i 


for fifty-four years received his ministerial appointments 
from God and, should any mistake have been made, 
through human intervention, it did not fall on him. At 
any rate, his episcopal successor, Bishop J. C. Hartzell, 
was a “tried man of marvelous adaptability.” 

A few years before his death, he again heard the 
trumpet blast calling to action and once more he struck 
the warpath for his Master in Southern and Eastern 
Africa, where he labored for fourteen months, until his 
voice failed, and thus won many more souls for Christ. 

On May 18, 1902, at Palo Alto, California, the old 
missionary, “who had preached on every continent and 
founded churches in many lands, finished his work.” 
With marvelous activity he carried forward his work, 
undaunted by any opposition, but that of God. He had 
the true missionary spirit, and 

“Never turned his back, but marched breast-forward. 
Never doubted clouds would break, 

Never dreamed tho* right were worsted, wrong would 
triumph, 

Held we fall to rise, are baffled to fight better. 
Sleep to wake.” 


J. HUDSON TAYLOR 

Founder of the China Inand Mission 

The Christ who stilled the tempest to save his disciples 
in their fishing boat on a raging oriental sea is the same 
yesterday, today and evermore. Numerous instances in 
missionary history certify the fact that the Lord in 
answer to prayer controls the elements to protect his 
believers in the hours of need or danger. 

Missionary J. Hudson Taylor relates a remarkable 
experience. Aboard a sailing vessel at sea they were 
in dagerous proximity to the north of New Guinea. 
Saturday night had brought them to a point some thirty 
miles off land, but during the Sunday morning service, 
which was held by the missionary on deck, Mr. Taylor 
noticed that the captain looked troubled, and frequently 
went over to the side of the ship. When the service 
was over all soon learned the cause. A four-knot cur¬ 
rent was rapidly carrying the ship towards some sunken 
reefs, and they were evidently already so near that it 
seemed improbable that they should get through the 
afternoon in safety. 

After dinner the long boat was put out and all hands 
labored, but without success, to turn the ship’s head 
from shore. Drifting nearer shore they could see the 
natives rushing about the sands, lighting fires every 
here and there. The captain’s horn-book told them that 
these people were cannibals, that the crew was cer¬ 
tainly in a position to be alarmed on account of the 
threatening danger. The captain said, “Well, we have 
done everything that can be done; we can only await 
the result.” 

Mr. Taylor replied: “No, there is one thing we have 
not done yet.” 


342 


/. HUDSON TAYLOR 


343 


“What is it?” queried the captain. 

Four of us on board are Christians,” answered Mr. 
Taylor, “let us each retire to our own cabin and in 
agreed prayer ask the Lord to give us immediately a 
breeze. He can as easily send it now as at sunset.” 

The captain agreed and all four, namely, the mis¬ 
sionary, the Swedish ship carpenter, the captain and the 
cook, retired to wait upon God in earnest prayer. Mr. 
Taylor had a good, but very brief season in prayer, and 
felt so satisfied that he could not continue asking and 
very soon went up again on deck. 

The first officer, an ungodly man, was in charge. 
Mr. Taylor went over and asked him to let down the 
clews, or corners of the main sail, which had been drawn 
up in order to lessen the useless flapping of the sail 
against the rigging. 

“What would be the good of that?” he asked. Mr. 
Taylor told him they had been praying to God for wind, 
which was coming immediately and they were already 
so near the reef that there was no time to lose. With a 
look of incredulity and contempt, the officer said with 
an oath that he would rather see a wind than hear of it. 
But while he was speaking he was looking up at the 
royal, the topmast sail, and there, sure enough, the cor¬ 
ner of the sail was beginning to tremble in the coming 
breeze. 

“Don’t you see the wind is coming? Look at the 
royal!” exclaimed Missionary Taylor. 

“No, it is only a cat’s paw,” rejoined the officer. 

“Cat’s paw or not,” cried Mr. Taylor, “pray let down 
the mainsail and let us have the benefit of the breeze.” 

This was quickly done. Soon the heavy tread of the 
men on deck brought up the captain from his cabin 


344 


ISABELLA THOBURN 


to see what was the matter, and the breeze had come. 

In a few minutes the ship was ploughing its way 
at the rate of six or seven knots an hour through the 
water, and the multitude of cannibal savages waiting 
on the beach for their expected feast already in sight, a 
few moments previous, now saw that they would have 
no wreckage that night. 

God had answered the prayer. The ship was out 
of danger, and the wind kept blowing until they had 
passed the Pew Islands. 

Thus the faithful missionary was encouraged, ere 
landing on China’s shores, to bring every variety of need 
to God in prayer and to expect that He would honor the 
faith of His servant by giving help in every coming 
emergency. 


ISABELLA THOBURN 

“Christian-Teacher-M issionary” 

About forty years ago, as a missionary was travel¬ 
ing and preaching among the villages in Rohilkhand, 
India, he came upon a vulture nest and under it found 
a quill, which had fallen from the mother-bird’s wing. 
Taking out a pen-knife, he shaped the quill into a pen, 
and, as it looked like a good pen, though a trifle large, 
he went into his tent to see if he could write with it; 
so he wrote to his sister a description of his work, and 
told of the need of a boarding school at some central 
place, where the Indian girls could be lifted from their 
degraded station, trained for future usefulness and 
again sent to carry the light to others. The letter was 
ended by the question, “How would you like to come 



ISABELLA THO BURN 


3 45 


and take charge of such a school ?” and that was the 
call that brought Isabella Thoburn to the mission field. 

She was born in March 9, 1840, of Scotch-Irish 
parents, of sterling worth and deep religious fervor. 
Their great strength of character and courageous devo¬ 
tion to the right, early made a strong impression on their 
ten children, and especially on Isabella, the next to the 
youngest. 

Unlike most other girls of her time, Isabella, 
after finishing her public school education, entered the 
Wheeling Female Seminary, and then studied a year at 
the Art School of Cincinnati. She proved herself a 
faithful student, and, though not brilliant, she knew 
thoroughly the ground that she had covered,—a valuable 
attribute for one attempting to teach others. 

After teaching in the country school and in a young 
ladies’ seminary in Newcastle, Pa., and in West Farm¬ 
ington, Ohio, where she proved herself an earnest, help¬ 
ful Christian worker, who developed more fully year 
by year, she received her brother’s letter, calling her to 
India. It found her willing to go, but the way was not 
yet open. She found that there was no existing organiza¬ 
tion of the church, which would authorize her going or 
her proposed work; for the existing societies thought 
of only male agencies. The great Lord, however, did 
not forsake his willing servant; but just at this very 
time he was moving the hearts of Methodist women in 
Boston. Women had offered themselevs to work in the 
Lord’s vineyard, and the idea sprang up to organize a 
society employing female missionaries, so on March 23, 
1869, a meeting was held and the Woman’s Foreign 
Missionary Society of the M. E. Church. In 1869, the 
new society had gathered sufficient funds to send a mis- 


346 


ISABELLA THO BURN 


sionary, and Miss Thoburn and Miss Clara A. Swain, 
M. D., were appointed as its first missionaries. 

Sailing from New York in the steamer Nevada, they 
arrived in Bombay on Januray 7, 1870, just in time for 
the annual conference of the Methodist missionaries, and 
here Miss Thoburn was stationed at Lucknow. She 
began at once, in her quiet, positive way, to build up 
her girls’ school for the training especially of Christian 
girls, to prepare them for helping and teaching others. 
Though some objected to her plan, declaring it pre¬ 
mature, yet she hired a small court in the Aminabad 
Bazaar and resolutely began with six girls on the morn¬ 
ing of April 18, 1870, and even to this day older mission¬ 
aries tell how “Yunas Singh’s boy, armed with a club 
kept watch over the entrance to the school lest any rowdy 
might visit the displeasure of the public upon the timid 
girls who were gathered inside with the adventurous lady 
teacher, who had coaxed them to come.” Soon she 
bought one of the best properties in the city, a place 
known as Lai Bagh, or Ruby Garden, a location studded 
with trees and fragrant with flowers, and to this the 
school was moved. Six years later she began another 
school for English girls at Cawnpur, forty-five miles to 
the west of Lucknow, and for some time she directed 
both schools, going to and fro by night. 

After ten years of earnest and faithful labor, Miss 
Thoburn came home on a furlough. Though she had 
always shrunk from public speaking, in Peabody, Kan¬ 
sas, she was invited to speak in a Presbyterian Church. 
She could not refuse, yet would not consent, so finally, 
as a compromise, she consented to give information by 
answering questions. The plan was followed, with a 
result that might have been anticipated; for, as question 


ISABELLA T HO BURN 


347 


followed question, she became absorbed in her subject, 
her answers became more lengthy and soon she found 
it necessary to rise from her chair, so that all might 
hear more easily. Presently she found herself standing 
in a Presbyterian Church and addressing an audience. 
She had crossed her Rubicon, and now she would not 
turn back. She was soon in demand everywhere and 
became one of the most acceptable and effective of mis¬ 
sionary speakers. Never pretentious or excited, she 
spoke directly and in a calmly intense and practical man¬ 
ner, so that those who heard her quiet but overpowering 
presentation of the needs of the Indian women will never 
forget it. 

Returning again to India in 1882, she began to 
develop her school into a college, and would not rest 
until it became the highest-grade institution for women 
in India. The crisis came when one of her girls, desiring 
to study medicine, wished first to receive a college educa¬ 
tion. A secular woman’s college had been opened at 
Calcutta; but it was practically agnostic in its religious 
position, and the girl’s religious mother, Mrs. Chucker- 
butty, would not hear of her daughter’s going to that 
school, where she might lose all faith in religion. Miss 
Thoburn, keenly feeling the situation, boldly proposed 
to still further widen the curriculum and to lift the school 
to the college grade. The first contribution, five hundred 
rupees, was given by Mrs. Chuckerbutty and thus, by a 
steady evolution, the little day school became, in 1887, 
the Lucknow Woman’s College, the first' of its kind in 
Asia. 

Before her plans were fully carried out, failing health 
necessitated a second return home in 1886. During these 
five years of enforced stay she was, however, by no 


348 


ISABELLA THO BURN 


means idle. She threw herself, with heart and soul, into 
the deaconess work, for she was quick to see the value 
of this new arm of power in the work of her Lord, and 
soon she became house mother of the New Deaconess 
Home in Chicago. Later she organized similar work in 
Cincinnati and in Boston, “always showing forth every¬ 
where the spirit of service, which she believed was the 
fundamental thing in Christianity, and which she urged 
upon all young women as the great ideal of life. ,, She 
determined to introduce the deaconess movement into 
India and, when she returned to India in 1890, it was as 
a deaconess; and now the order is being widely employed 
throughout all India. 

Upon her return, she was reappointed principal of her 
college, and again took hold with her wonted wisdom and 
energy. A certain laxity in the management needed 
checking, and it was done “with a quiet dignity, which 
inspired both love and awe in all around her, and grown¬ 
up people were struck with the wisdom which guided 
her to do all things without offending.” She took a 
room where she could watch the whole school and 
regularly inspected the whole building, to see that it 
was in good order. When she herself rang the rising- 
bell, the girls did not find it hard to rise early; and Miss 
Thoburn’s neat and tidy room soon induced them to 
keep their rooms in like condition. Under her inspection, 
the meals of the girls were regularly atended to; the sick 
girls received the best of care, and there was much skill 
in the methods of teaching and keeping discipline; for 
Miss Thoburn herself taught the most difficult and least 
promising classes. In everything she led others to do 
by herself doing first. 


ISABELLA THO BURN 


349 


As the equipment and development of the college 
became a heavy burden to her, she made a third and last 
visit home in 1900, to raise money for the immediate 
needs of the school. Taking Miss Lilavati Singh, one 
of her pupils, with her, her errand met with complete 
success; for the object lesson of her work presented in 
her pupil was itself a most convincing argument. On 
one occasion, at the Ecumenical Conference, after Miss 
Singh had spoken, ex-President Harrison arose, with 
tears on his cheeks, and said, “If I had ever had a mil¬ 
lion dollars and had spent it all on foreign missions and 
this young woman were the only result, I should feel 
amply repaid for my investment. ,, 

They returned together in 1900. Miss Thoburn began 
to feel that her work was done and in less than two 
months the end, which she knew was near, came; for 
an awful plague, Asiatic cholera, broke out in Lucknow 
and after patient suffering she was taken home in Glory 
on September 1. 

Miss Thoburn accomplished, without money, prestige 
or other resources, what a rich and powerful government, 
anxious to promote the cause of female education, was 
unable to accomplish. What was her secret? She relied 
not in her own strength, but labored in Christ; and thus 
gained the secret of strength and wisdom. 


JAMES MILLS THOBURN 

Missionary Bishop of India and Mylasla 

James Mills Thoburn, of an old Irish family of 
Thoburns, was born near St. Clairsville, Ohio, on the 7th 
of March, 1836. His father was a small farmer, a man 
of active piety and rare good sense. His mother was 
a woman of extraordinary parts and force of character. 
All her children received from her such inspiration for 
life as will abide for all time- The family consisted of 
five boys, of whom James was the youngest, and five 
girls. Three of the brothers have died, one of them 
killed in battle; all the sisters, including Isabella, the 
well known India missionary, and Mrs. Gen. Cowen, the 
equally well known Woman’s Foreign Missionary Secre¬ 
tary, live in useful service. 

Of the boy James, the record among his earliest 
friends is that he was a lad of unceasing activity and of 
kindly nature. The words that best characterize the 
outstanding traits of his boyhood are “mischief and 
generosity.” The overflowing spirits and incessant 
movement of the restless boy were always condoned by 
the fact that he was ever willing to suffer others’ 
escapades. 

When he was but 14 years old his father died, but 
his mother determined that nothing should interefere 
with the lad’s schooling. Graduating from the public 
schools of his native place, he entered Alleghany College 
at Meadville, Pa., greatly encouraged by the prediction 
of his neighbors that so mischievous a fellow would, on 
leaving home, surely go to destruction. His mother knew 
the boy better, and the event proved her right. Perhaps 
his neighbors’ doleful forecast helped to put the young 
man on his mettle. The first intimation our missionary 


350 


JAMES MILLS THO BURN 


35i 


received that God wanted his life for a special task came 
to him as a student in college. It was while he was 
studying in Alleghany College at Meadville, Pa., that 
Bishop Thoburn became aware that God wished him 
to be a missionary. James Thoburn was in the way of 
preparation. He sought an education to fit himself for 
successful living; but God used this preparation for ends 
farther and greater than this college boy had ever 
dreamed. He graduated with honors from the above 
named school in 1857. 

On his graduation he became a member of the Pitts¬ 
burg Conference and was appointed to the towns of 
Greentown and Marlboro. Here the young preacher on 
$100 a year pursued his active and busy life, until with 
deepening consecration to his Master’s service there 
came to him a clear call to leave home and kindred and 
turn his face to an unknown land in a far-off region, to 
proclaim among the Christless millions the grace that 
had saved him. At this time appeared in the “Christian 
Advocate” the call for six missionaries to reinforce the 
India Mission. The young preacher read it with burn¬ 
ing heart and streaming eyes and immediately gave him¬ 
self in humble consecration to God for India. He started 
to find his Presiding Elder, to advise him; but before 
he spoke his thoughts he learned that his elder was seek¬ 
ing him with a commission from Bishop Janes, for service 
in India Mission. The offer was immediately accepted. 
These words he quoted: “I went upstairs to my room 
and knelt down to seek for guidance from above, but 
I could not pray. God poured his spirit upon me from 
above, and my heart so overflowed with a hallowed feel¬ 
ing of love and joy that I could not utter a word. It was 
an acceptance for India.” 


352 


JAMES MILLS THO BURN 


The party sailed for India in 1859, and after 100 days 
found themselves in the Hoogly River, where the first 
object that impressed them was the massive outlines of 
Juggernaut. India’s gods are many. Under every tall 
tree, on every high mountain, worship is continually 
being offered to some one of the multiplied millions of 
polluting gods. It was significant that the first thing to 
attract the missionary’s gaze was the temple of one of 
these many gods against whom he was to exalt Jehovah 
to their overthrowing. 

In 1869, Missionary Thoburn was appointed Presiding 
Elder of Mo-ra-da-bad District, and in the following year 
he was transferred to the Lucknow District, perhaps the 
most responsible position of the Methodist Church in 
India. Thoburn was a college man and believed in the 
power of schools towards the civilization and enlighten¬ 
ment of the world- Occupied, however, by his own work, 
he stood powerless to execute his plan and stood in need 
of another’s assistance, so he wrote to his sister a descrip¬ 
tion of his work in Lucknow, and told of the need of a 
boarding school at some central place, where the Indian 
girls could be lifted from their degraded station, trained 
for future usefulness and again sent to carry the light 
to others. The letter was ended by the question, “How 
would you like to come and take charge of such a 
school?” and that was the call that brought Isabella 
Thoburn to the mission field in India, where she has had 
such wonderful success. 

The island of Maylasia opened to missionary effort 
by Thoburn in 1885, was in great need of the constant 
presence of a bishop, for, though the short visits of the 
Superintendents were appreciated, they did not give them 
the close and continuous superintendency needed to unify 


JAMES MILLS THOBURN 


353 


the movement. In the General Conference of 1888, it was 
determined by that body to appoint a Missionary Bishop 
for India and Maylasia. There was but one name serious¬ 
ly considered, that of Thoburn, who was elected and 
consecrated to preside over this vast domain. 

Well did Bishop Thoburn fulfill this trust. Through 
his energetic and earnest labor the whole land was deeply 
moved. Amid the confusion of contending voices, could 
be heard issuing from his pale lips the words once spoken 
by our Savior, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are 
heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Poor, religiously 
heavy laden India heard her Savior’s call and hastened 
to lay at the foot of the cross the burden she had borne 
for centuries. 

At the General Conference of 1908, held in Baltimore, 
Bishop Thoburn asked retirement from active service. 
The years that remain to him are being spent in the 
college town of Meadville, from which he went out so 
many years ago. The influence of his life, like that of 
John the aged, is with us still a benediction, yea, and 
more, for it sounds like a trumpet call summoning this 
new generation to take up the burdens he has laid down. 
Shall we not listen, young people, that we may know 
whether God’s call comes to us and that we may be ready 
to answer as did this man, with our lives? 



NATHANIEL TURNER 

A Worker Among New Zealand Savages 

On the 3rd of August, 1823, Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel 
Turner landed at the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, with 
an immense number of axes, razors, fish-hooks, pots and 
kettles, prints and calicoes and much other goods. Neither 
the prospect of serving as a dainty morsel for some 
greedy cannibal’s palate nor the lack of money in the 
Mission could daunt this heroic pair, so, with the goods 
mentioned serving as an equivalent of the lacking money 
with which to begin the mission station among the fierce 
and warlike New Zealand savages, they proceeded to 
their new home. 

The scenery of pine-clad hills and mountains looking 
down with somber majesty into a lovely sequestered 
valley enriched by the winding Kaio River, a charming 
view upon which they could daily gaze from their little 
home, was indeed delightful. But, alas for their com¬ 
fort! they arrived just in the rainy season. The roof of 
their mission dwelling was little better than a sieve, and 
one of the missionaries, Mr. Leigh, became sick and, 
after taking refuge for a time in an empty cask, was 
at last forced to leave the unhealthful island. Mr. and 
Mrs. Turner with her three missionary assistants, how¬ 
ever, kept up their spirits and, hiring some natives, began 
to erect a cottage with a wooden frame, which Mr. 
Turner had brought along. 

This task soon gave our missionaries some idea of the 
treatment which they were to expect from the savage 
people, and especially from the fierce chief, George. At 
first this savage pretended to be friendly; but, after a 


354 


NATHANIEL TURNER 


355 


few days, he drove off the native workers and said to 
Mr. Turner: 

“That house you are building is mine. I will knock 
it down. You missionaries shall go away.” 

Hereupon the black-eyed, thick-lipped natives seized 
the tools with which the missionaries had been working 
and began to utter loud, savage cries, which were kept 
up for some time by different parties, both day and night. 

One day the chief brought Mr. Turner a pig, for 
which he had already been paid, but now demanded a 
second payment. After some delay, Mr. Turner gave 
him an iron pot, but this peace-offering only angered him 
more, and, seizing an ax and a frying-pan, he broke the 
pot into pieces against an anvil. Then fiercely raising a 
loaded musket, he threatened to shoot Turner, but God’s 
hand restrained the monster. However, he pushed him 
violently round, hissing: 

“You want to make us slaves; we want muskets, 
powder and tomahawks. You give us nothing but 
prayers. We don’t want to hear about Jesus Christ. If 
you love us, as you say you do, give us blankets.” 

He then went to the house, calling to Mrs. Turner 
and the servant girl with her: 

“I will kill you as I did the people of the ‘Boyd,’ ” 
mentioning an unhappy ship whose crew had been sur¬ 
prised and eaten. 

The servant girl ran screaming toward Mr. Turner, 
but Mrs. Turner with undaunted courage braved the 
irate chief, and at length his fury abated. 

The missionaries realized that they were in momen¬ 
tary peril, but they trusted in their Master and con¬ 
scientiously did His work. When Turner the next morn¬ 
ing heard that a neighboring tribe had killed a slave. 


356 


NATHANIEL TURNER 


whom they were about to eat, he went forth boldly, 
unarmed, and after much talk succeeded in getting the 
partly-roasted human body and putting it under-ground. 
It was a very daring thing, but Mr. Turner was supported 
by the knowledge that it was the right thing. 

Disregarding the many thefts and other petty 
annoyances to which they were subjected by the ungrate¬ 
ful cannibals, our missionaries diligently studied their 
language and in six months were able to teach the chil¬ 
dren the sweet words of Jesus. Within a year they 
built two chapels with their own hands, which sufficed 
for preaching-places and for school-rooms. Thereafter 
Mr. Turner also finished his cottage. 

Many times bands of savages, hoping to gather some 
spoils, attacked the missionary buildings, imperiling the 
lives of the missionaries and severely trying their cour¬ 
age and patience; but these messengers from God only 
observed: “We trust in God, and praise his name for 
ever and ever.” No wonder that the chief of the Wan- 
garoa tribes remarked concerning this little missionary 
band: 

“We have tried all we could to make them afraid, 
but have failed. They are a courageous tribe.” 

A short peace succeeding the dedication of the chapels 
was broken in March, 1825, by the chief Ahudu, who, 
fiercely brandishing his weapon over the defenseless 
head of Mr. Turner, seized his favorite young dog and 
carried it off. The poor pup was rescued by Mr. White; 
but then Te Puhi, who wanted the dog, set upon Mr. 
White with his spear. Mr. Turner and Mr. Hobbs ran 
to his rescue. Te Puhi then assailed Mr. Turner; but 
the spear aimed at his head struck his left arm and 
broke. The savage thrust the longest part of the 


NATHANIEL TURNER 


357 


blunted weapon at the missionary’s side, and the good 
man sank down senseless. Meanwhile Ahudu had thrown 
down Mr. White near the fence and both men would 
doubtless have been killed, had not some friendly natives 
rescued them. Mr. Turner was carried into the house, 
apparently dead; but several days’ kind nursing again 
revived him sufficiently to enable him to leave his bed. 

About this time an outrage committed against a 
whaling vessel at Wangora Bay by another tribe so in¬ 
censed the natives, who feared that their bay would 
become of bad repute, that threats of war were made. 
The natives became greatly excited and naturally vented 
their wrath on the harmless missionaries, whom they 
threatened to kill and rob. Doubtless their spite was 
made more bitter by a fear that a war-vessel from Eng¬ 
land would punish them for the destruction of the whale- 
ship. The situation became desperate, and Mrs. Turner 
and her maid were, despite the noble lady’s protests, 
taken to the “Church Mission,” at the Bay of Islands, 
for refuge. After a few tribal wars, quiet again seemed 
to settle over the Wangaroa tribes, Mrs. Turner returned 
and missionary work was resumed. 

In January, 1827, however, Wangaroa was invaded, 
the natives fled and even the missionary premises were 
stormed. As Mrs. Turner was in the doorway, a chief 
raised his weapon to cleave her skull; but just at that 
moment some of his followers were pushing up a shelf 
over the doorway and caused a shower of nails to fall 
upon the head of their chief. This so surprised him that 
he let the weapon fall and his intended victim escaped. 

Now they were forced to quit the field. Despite their 
heroic efforts, only one convert blessed their labors, and 


358 


NATHANIEL TURNER 


yet they were not vain. So the missionaries and their 
children, with a serving man and his wife, loaded with 
bundles of clothing, fled across the grain fields wet with 
dew and across valleys and streams, frequently molested 
by war parties. One of these seemed disposed to kill 
them; for the chief, pointing to the edge of the stream, 
commanded sternly, 

“Kneel there!” 

This sounded like their death warrant; but they could 
do nothing but obey. The savages approached, yet only 
to rub noses in token of friendship. Thereafter they 
were allowed to pass on until, by sundown, they reached 
the friendly shelter of the “Church Mission.” 

After six months’ stay in Sydney, Australia, they, 
with several other missionaries, sailed to the Tonga 
Mission in the Society Islands, whose people were less 
savage than the New Zealanders, but had, owing to 
recent quarrels, become unusually restless and unteach- 
able. They found the missionaries already there preparing 
to depart, declaring that it was sheer madness to enter 
on such a mission. 

Nevertheless, they settled down undaunted, and had 
great success in making converts and the spiritual beauty 
of this misison became a delight to the hearts of these 
noble men and women. 

Meantime a great change came over the New Zea¬ 
landers. Other Wesleyan missionaries, succeeding Tur¬ 
ner, had reaped some fruit from the seed sown by him, 
but still needed a leader of experience to guide them. 
Turner heard the call and responded, restoring vigor 
to the workers by his wise counsels. Thus he labored 
with untiring energy until 1839, when, his health being 
impaired by over exertion and by the climate, he sailed 


GUIDO FRIDOLIN VERBECK 


359 


to Sydney, where he worked among the colonists 
throughout his remaining days until, in 1864, he entered 
triumphant into eternal rest. 


GUIDO FRIDOLIN VERBECK 

Foremost Teacher of New Japan 

In 1850, a young United States civil engineer of Dutch 
descent answered the call for an Americanized Hollander 
to be sent to Japan. Though the land had been opened 
to foreigners by Perry, the work which he had come to 
prosecute, the winning of the heathen for Christ, could 
only be carried on with the utmost difficulty. The spirit 
of the people towards the introduction of Christianity 
could be seen everywhere about him on signboards pro¬ 
claiming great rewards offered by the authorities to any 
one reporting a Christian believer or teacher. Being a 
foreigner, Verbeck even had difficulty in getting a house 
to live in. Then he settled down quietly, studying the 
language, and determined to begin his work quietly and 
unobtrusively. Accordingly he gathered about him 
gradually those who wished to study the English lan¬ 
guage, and soon he formed a Bible class, which was the 
beginning of quite a school. 

After five years’ work, a Japanese nobleman named 
Murato one day came to Verbeck, bringing with him his 
two sons. He said that he had found a little book, 
written in Dutch, floating in the harbor. Finding it to 
be a New Testament, he had ordered a Chinese trans¬ 
lation from China. The beautiful book had afforded him 
much comfort, and he now came to learn about the 
Christ and His religion. After an interview lasting many 



36 o 


GUIDO FRIDOLIN VERBECK 


hours, Murato declared: “I am ready to believe what 
Jesus taught and to follow Him.” On the following 
Sunday he and his two sons received baptism in Mr. 
Verbeck’s parlor. 

This was the beginning of the missionary’s great 
work. Soon the coming of a nobleman to him for advice 
was no unusual occurrence, for his wise judgment was 
recognized and prized. In the building of New Japan 
his advice and counsel were sought by men of great 
power in the nation, such as cabinet ministers, diplomats 
and the heads of government offices. 

When the government school giving instruction in 
military and political science, criminal law and medicine 
was organized, Verbeck was made one of the four in¬ 
structors. His knowledge and wonderful control of the 
Japanese language easily won him this place. This 
school developed into the Imperial University and so 
great was its success that in 1871, it had nine hundred 
and ninety-six students and refused admission to two 
hundred more because of its inability to accommodate 
them. 

Mr. Verbeck was now a great power in the nation, 
not only through his own influence, but through that 
of the young men, whom he had instructed. It was he 
who planned the embassy of 1871, which inspected the 
various Christian nations, learning much of great value 
to the New Japan. Its every detail of route and manage¬ 
ment was originated in his mind, and so carefully did he 
plan the same that, when the embassy returned, its mem¬ 
bers were fully convinced that Christianity stands for 
what is best in all western countries. The threatening 
signboards against Christianity disappeared, the new 


JOHN WESLEY 


361 


religion was encouraged and Japan took the deciding step 
towards enlightened civilization. 

Verbeck died in 1898, the first of the new country’s 
naturalized citizens. As a sign of recognition for his 
great services, the emperor had presented him with a 
decoration of the Order of the Rising Sun. The emperor 
himself paid his funeral expenses and sent a representa¬ 
tive to be present at the services. A company of soldiers 
escorted the body two miles to the cemetery and after¬ 
ward saluted the grave with presentation of arms and 
other ceremonies of honor. 

So a United States civil engineer helped to make a 
nation. 


JOHN WESLEY 

The Father of Methodism 

John Wesley, the father of Methodism, was a faith 
hero of the first magnitude. So great and universal was 
his missionary zeal for the kingdom of God that he 
declared: “The world is my parish.” His meekness and 
fortitude in the endurance of persecution was remark¬ 
able and many of his deliverances from danger were 
strikingly providential. 

Of the many wonderful stories told about this gallant 
soldier of the cross, one is here related by an old man of 
about eighty years of age, named Sheerin, a Roman 
Catholic, who lived near the town of Boyle in Ireland, and 
who was an eye-witness of the incident related. He said: 

“I remember a circumstance that occurred when I was 
a very young man. I was on a holiday after coming out 
from mass in the chapel of Boyle. It was customary then, 
as it is now, to stand in Bridge street and have a chat 



3^2 


JOHN WESLEY 


with the neighbors. At this place there was a hotel, 
owned by one of the richest men in town; he had two 
tanneries, several farms, well stocked, together with other 
property. I saw one John Wesley, a very nice old man, 
with long white hair; when he came forward to the part 
of the street where the crowd was, he got up on a stone 
outside the hotel door, that was used for a seat, and com¬ 
menced preaching to the people. In a few minutes after 
he commenced, some of the family went upstairs and 
procured a chamber vessel and emptied the contents out 
of the window down on his head. He seemed to take 
no notice of what was done, further than taking out his 
handkerchief, and wiping his head and face. 

“When the people saw what was done, and that he 
took it so patiently, they said it was a shame; and from 
that forward, they listened to him very attentively dur¬ 
ing the remainder of his sermon. When he had ended his 
discourse, he turned, and looking at the house, said, ‘God 
forgive you, and I forgive you; but I am not sent of God 
if that family comes to a good end/ ” The narrator 
affirmed that the prediction proved true. In about a 
year after, one of the sons was either hanged, or hanged 
himself; and another came to a violent death, while the 
daughter became a castaway and the father and mother 
were reduced to extreme want. In about five years* time 
not a trace of the family was to be found. According to 
the old man’s statement, this must have occurred between 
the years 1780 and 1790. 


MARY LOUISA WHATELY 

Founder of the Mission School in Cairo, Egypt 

Through the work of Miss M. L. Whately, daughter 
of the late Archbishop Whately, the attention of the 
Church Missionary Society is of late years again directed 
toward Egypt. Miss Whately went there in 1861, not 
expecting or thinking of doing missionary work of any 
sort. But while in Cairo, she was deeply impressed and 
moved to compassion by the ignorance and degradation 
of the females, and determined to seek to do something 
for their uplift and betterment while she remained in 
Egypt. As schools for the Coptic girls already existed, 
she directed her attention first to the Mohammedans; 
but owing to prevailing Moslem prejudice and supersti¬ 
tion, and the wide-spread jealousy of innovations, espe¬ 
cially when proposed by foreigners, the undertaking was 
confronted with peculiar difficulties. To succeed in this 
great work under prevailing difficulties one needed to 
be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. 

An earnest Syrian Protestant matron as a competent 
and devoted assistant placed at Miss Whately’s disposal 
seemed providential and encouraging. To obtain pupils 
for the proposed school was the first thing essential. 
This, however, was a doubtful and a difficult proposition, 
because many of the people in Cairo regarded the very 
idea of educating girls as exceedingly ridiculous. How¬ 
ever, with much difficulty, and after many rebuffs, some 
of the Mohammedan women of the neighborhood per¬ 
mitted their little daughters to come to Miss Whately’s 
home a few minutes for instruction every day. The pre¬ 
judices of a few being thus overcome, the number of 
pupils gradually increased till there were twenty in 
attendance. 


363 


364 


MARY LOUISA WHATELY 


The school was of course of the most elementary 
.character. The little girls were taught to repeat the 
alphabet, to do some simple sewing, and to memorize 
some texts of Scripture. As the number of pupils in¬ 
creased, larger and more commodious quarters had to 
be provided. The school as it grew and became 
appreciated, won more friends and thus more funds for 
its support and improvement were secured. 

This was gratifying and encouraging. However, the 
further progress of the school was confronted with 
further discouragements. The experiment of leaving 
the school in the hands of a matron while Miss Whately 
returned to England failed and the school soon went 
down so that its founder had to come back and resume 
the task of running and building up the institution. 
In the death of the Shakoor brothers, who were strong 
supporters of the enterprise, the school mourned a great 
loss. Miss Whately, however, though she found her 
position as teacher and principal of a ragged school, 
confronted with so many difficulties, no easy task, clung 
faithfully to her work and soon began to see encourag¬ 
ing results of her labors. The father of the Khedive 
granted the mission a piece of ground upon which new 
and magnificent buildings were erected. New supporters, 
new teachers and more pupils were secured, the work 
prospered, and soon the good fruits of the school were 
apparent in both educational and spiritual results. Con¬ 
verts were made among the children, and in a number of 
instances the parents were reached through the children. 
Much of Miss Whately’s work was done among the 
women directly, especially among the peasantry. This 
class she found approachable and susceptible to the 
teachings of the Gospel. She visited them in their 


MARY LOUISA WHATELY 


36s 


various occupations, hesitating not at squalor, filth and 
disease. The seed thus faithfully sown was blessed of 
God and produced wonderful results. The prejudice 
against the school was overcome, Christian education 
became appreciated and highly prized, and doors that 
had remained closed for ages swung open at the approach 
of the mission teachers. The medical feature of the 
school is especially helpful to the missionary cause. 
Thus the Lord has owned and honored the faithful and 
heroic services of a devoted daughter of His Kingdom. 

Says a gentleman who has traveled much in the 
East, “In my experience among Easterners of all classes 
and religions, and various agencies in the East, Miss 
Mary Louisa Whately’s mission stands first. It has 
reached the very heart of Islam, and has been the first 
to plant the Gospel of our Divine Master in the very 
midst of the Mohammedan families in Egypt. Such a 
thing was never heard of before, nor has been done by 
one since the rise and progress of the Mohammedan 
religion. God has manifestly watered the seed, and 
blessed it also, which she scattered in faith in Egypt, 
and even before she was called away to the higher ser¬ 
vice, the fruits of her labors of love began to appear.” 


HENRY BENJAMIN WHIPPLE 

The Indians 9 Friend 

At one of the counsels of government representatives 
with the chiefs of the Sioux, an aged chief arose, holding 
before him the treaties made with his tribe, and said: 
“The first white man who came to make a treaty promised 
to do certain things for us. He was a liar. ,, Then he 
repeated the substance of the several treaties, adding 
after each, “He lied.” 

What the old man said was only too true. The 
Indians were being robbed of their land, driven west 
from the east and east from the west, their hunting 
grounds were destroyed, and the money promised them 
was either squandered before it reached him or taken 
back in exchange for liquor, which ruined him. He 
needed a protecting friend to fight for him in the 
struggle against the injustice and wrong with which he 
had to contend. God raised one up for him in the person 
of Henry Whipple, whose spirit of justice and indigna¬ 
tion against wrong early evinced itself in his boyish 
life. On one occasion, when he saw a small boy beaten 
by another much older than himself, he rushed in to the 
younger one's defense and in due time came off with 
clothes torn and face covered with blood, but happy—he 
was victorious. When he came home and his mother 
asked with horror, “My darling boy, what has happend? 
Why are you in this dreadful condition?” he stoutly 
answered, “Yes, I know it's bad, but, mother, you ought 
to see the other fellow!” 

At ten years of age Henry entered a boarding-school 
in New York and later Oberlin College, but failing health 
necessitated his return home, where he entered business 
and politics with great success. He, however, was not 


366 


HENRY BENJAMIN WHIPPLE 


367 


satisfied with this, but decided to enter the Episcopal 
ministry. 

After filling appointments in Rome, New York, and 
in Florida, and Chicago, where he labored earnestly to 
win the people to Christ, visiting every shop and saloon 
and factory within a mile from his hall and studying the 
structure of steam-engines to get hold of the railway men, 
he was, in 1859, elected Bishop of Minnesota. Choosing 
Faribault as his headquarters, he immediately began 
visiting the 20,000 Chippewas, Sioux and Winnebagoes 
in his diocese, among whom, though there was no atheist, 
as he often said, the work was hard. He had plenty of 
rough-and-tumble work to do in his early years. He 
learned to extract teeth and practice a little medicine 
early, and found plenty of patients willing to submit their 
cases to his untrained hands. 

Roughing it in storms on the great prairie, to and fro 
among settlements, he preached the real Gospel to hun¬ 
gry hearts. Hs also labored in the rapidly growing cities 
of white people, establishing churches, building up Chris¬ 
tian institutions and winning men to Christ. Even the old 
driver on the old-fashioned stage-coach was not slighted, 
but quit swearing after the Bishop had given him his 
opinion on the subject. 

In 1862 and again later the Indians perpetrated fear¬ 
ful outrages in Minnesota, incensed by the unjust deal¬ 
ings of the whites. Bishop Whipple fearlessly advocated 
fair dealing instead of revenge, though in so doing he 
became very unpopular. When urged to omit his black¬ 
est charges agaist the nation for the wrongs inflicted on 
the Indians, he answered: “They are true and the nation 
needs to know them! And, so help me God, I will tell 
them if I am shot the next minute!” His charges led to 


368 


HENRY BENJAMIN WHIPPLE .. 


the organization of the Indian Peace Commission in 1868. 
He was firn in advocacy of the right, and his persuasive 
method of approaching an antagonist usally gained him 
the victory. 

In 1865 and on several other occasions the Bishop 
went abroad. His addresses on the American Indians 
were received with great enthusiasm. He was made 
Doctor of Laws by Cambridge University. In 1890 he 
was received by the Queen at Windsor Castle and 
preached in Westminister Abbey. 

He passed from his bright life to one brighter in the 
Eternal City on September 16, 1901. He lived to know 
all the presidents of the United Sates from Jackson to 
McKinley. No doubt, his long life was partially due to 
his bright and hopeful spirit, concerning which he re¬ 
marked in his volume of reminiscences: 

“My readers may think me an optimist, but a Chris¬ 
tian has no right to be anything else- This is God’s world, 
not the devil’s. It is ruled by One who is The Lord our 
Righteousness,’ The same yesterday and today, yea, and 
for ever/ . . . Ours is not a forlorn hope. We may, 
out of the gloom of our perplexed hearts, cry, ‘Watch¬ 
man, what of the night?’ But faith answers, -‘The morn¬ 
ing cometh.’ ” 


MARCUS WHITMAN 

The Story of the Mule That Saved Oregon 

While Marcus Whitman, the martyr-missionary of 
Oregon, was making his famous journey across that con¬ 
tinent in the winter of 1842-43, he was saved from death, 
and Oregon was saved to the United States, while the 
Great Northwest was saved to the Protestant religion, 
by the intelligent instinct of a mule. 

General A. J. Lovejoy, who was Whitman’s compan¬ 
ion during a part of the way, tells the story as follows: 

“On that terrible 13th of January, 1843, when so 
many in all parts of our country froze to death, the Doc¬ 
tor, against the advice of his Mexican guide, left his 
camp in a deep gorge in the mountains of New Mexico, 
in the morning, to pursue his journey. 

‘‘But on reaching the divide, the cold became so in¬ 
tense, and the animals actually becoming maddened by 
the driving snows, the Doctor saw his peril and attempt¬ 
ed to retrace his steps, and, if possible, to find his camp, 
as the only hope of saving their lives. But the drifting 
snow had totally obliterated every trace, and the air be¬ 
came almost as dark as night by the maddening storm. 

“The Doctor saw that it would be impossible for any 
human being to find camp, and commending himself and 
his distant wife to his covenant-keeping God, he gave 
himself, his faithful guide and the animals up to their 
snowy grave. It was fast closing about them, when the 
guide, observing the ears of one of the mules intently 
bent forward, sprang upon him, giving him the reins, 
exclaiming: 

“‘This mule will find the camp, if he can live to> 
reach it* 


369 




370 


ANN WILKINS 


“The Doctor mounted another and followed. The 
faithful animal kept down the divide a short distance, 
and then turned square down the steep mountain. 

“Through deep snowdrifts, over frightful precipices, 
down, down he pushed, unguided and unurged—as if he 
knew the lives of the two men and the fate of the great 
expedition depended upon his endurance and faithful¬ 
ness—and into the thick timber, and stopped suddenly 
over a bare spot. As the Doctor dismounted—the Mex¬ 
ican was too far gone—behold the very fireplace of their 
morning camp! 

“Two brands of fire were yet alive and smoking; 
plenty of timber in reach. The buffalo hides had done 
much to protect the Doctor, and providentially he could 
move about and collect dry limbs, and soon had a rous¬ 
ing fire. The guide revived, but both were badly frozen. 
They remained in this secluded hole in the mountains 
several days, till the cold and snow abated.” 


ANN WILKINS 

The Consecrated Missionary Teacher 

In the course of his missionary labors, Dr. Bangs, 
the Methodist Missionary Secretary, received a note 
reading: “A sister who has but little money at com¬ 
mand gives that little cheerfully, and is willing to give 
her life as a female teacher if she is wanted.” 

These noble words were penned by Ann Wilkins, a 
young woman who had been born amid the mountains 
of the Hudson near West Point. At fourteen years of 
age she had been converted to her Lord and had, five 
years later, become a teacher of the young in both the 
branches of human knowledge and the experience of 
divine truth. When, however, she heard the appealing 



ANN WILKINS 


37i 


call of a man who had labored and suffered in Africa, 
her great heart swelled with a desire to bear a part of 
the perils of that mission, and hence her note. 

The need for such grand spirits to perform dangerous 
work is too great to disregard such an offer. There¬ 
fore, a few months later, she was sent with several oth¬ 
ers to fight the angel of death and the spirit of evil. She 
at once began to teach the dusky little children of Libe¬ 
ria, and thus paved the way for the “Female Boarding 
School , 99 in which she later reigned as queen of light 
and love. The terrible fever did not fail to lay her low; 
but her strong constitution withstood it and she recov¬ 
ered. A second time it seized upon her, and bore her 
to the brink of death. Then her friends, despite her 
protests, insisted that she return to the healthy climate 
of her native land, and she yielded. On seeing her ema¬ 
ciated form, the mission authorities decided that she 
could not continue her labors in Africa; but her deter¬ 
mined spirit asserted itself, and with three other de¬ 
voted young women who had dedicated themselves to 
this work, she returned to the Dark Continent to watch 
over and guide them in their new work. 

After two years of suffering and labor she was com¬ 
pelled to quit the work to which she had so fondly given 
her life. Her voyage and her native climate so far re¬ 
stored her that she was enabled to enter the Juvenile 
Asylum of New York as one of the active officers; but 
there her condition grew rapidly worse. For six more 
days she lingered here on earth; but they were glorious 
days, for the light of her coming bliss so glorified her 
that she seemed more like an angel to her surprised 
attendants than like a dying mortal. What a blessed 
life was hers! What a glorious entrance into heaven! 
Great is her reward above. 


MARGARET WILSON 

Martyr Maiden 

The story of Margaret Wilson is beautiful in that 
it depicts the sweet innocence and tenderness and also 
the firm resolution of a pure maidenly heart; but it is 
also sad, bringing forth, as it does, the fiendish cruelty 
and degradation of her persecutors. 

Young Margaret had very early in life become a fol¬ 
lower of the Lord Jesus, and had also led her brother and 
sister to the Savior. Her noble mind soon distinguished 
the falseness and degraded condition of the Episcopal 
Church established by law, and she refused to attend, 
as her father and mother were forced to do on pain of 
death; but she and her brother and sister attended the 
field meetings held by the Covenanters. 

At first, probably on account of her youth, their ab¬ 
sence from the church services was ignored; but one 
morning Margaret Wilson, aged eighteen, Thomas, aged 
sixteen, and Agnes, aged thirteen, were reported by the 
curate as defaulters in church attendance. 

“Send the dragoons after them/’ the cruel Grierson 
of Lagg answered, “and we’ll teach them their duty.” 

The parents, however, were, through friends, informed 
of the prospective visit of the dragoons, and, after a short 
family council, the children left to secrete themselves 
among the moss-hags; so, when the dragoons arrived 
and demanded the children to be delivered to them, the 
latter were gone and their parents could truthfully say 
that they knew not their whereabouts. 

The dragoons searched every cave they knew and 
pierced every bush with their swords, but without avail. 
In revenge about a hundred soldiers were quartered at 


372 


MARGARET WILSON 


373 


Mr. Wilsons house, at a great expense of 5,000 merks, 
but he bore it patiently. 

In the meantime the Wilson children had been hid¬ 
ing in a damp, uncomfortable cave in the daytime, search¬ 
ing for food at night, until, upon the hope-inspiring death 
of Charles II., friendly Covenanters assured them that 
they might safely return home. With wise precaution, 
however, they first went to the house of an old widow, 
named Margaret McLauchlan, who received them kindly. 

At the widow's house Margaret Wilson met Patrick 
Stuart, whom she knew well, since he had received much 
kindness at her father's hand. She inquired about her 
parents, and he gladly gave her all the information he 
could. Then he invited them to partake of some refresh¬ 
ments at his house on the following evening, and they 
consented to do so, trusting him implicitly, though they 
knew that offering hospitality to Covenanters was a 
crime heavily punished. The next evening Patrick re¬ 
peated an offer of marriage to Margaret, which had al¬ 
ready previously been refused, and was again given little 
encouragement. He then asked her to drink to the 
King's health, which she promptly refused to do. With¬ 
out a word of explanation, the rascal then left the room, 
went straight to the Wigton authorities and told them 
where the Wilson children were to be found- 

At once they were seized, together with their bene¬ 
factress, Margaret McLauchlan, and cast into that hor¬ 
rible place called “The Thieves’ Hole,” to lie on the 
damp ground until summoned before the infamous Sir 
Robert Grierson of Lagg. 

That titled wretch, finding it hard to bring a reason¬ 
able charge against the children, accused them with 
being at the battle of Bothwell Bridge, Ayr’s Moss, and 


374 


MARGARET WILSON 


at numerous conventicles. All but the attendance at 
conventicles was denied. 

“Give them the abjuration oath,” thundered Grierson. 

This oath, abjuring their right to stand up for their 
own judgments and rights in matters of religion, they, 
of course, refused to take. 

“To death, then, to death,” shouted the monster 
Grierson in fiendish glee. “Upon the 11th of May ye 
shall be tied to stakes fixed within the flood-mark in the 
water of Blednock, near Wigton, where the sea flows at 
high tide, there to be drowned.” 

Mr. Wilson appealed to the Privy Council at Edin¬ 
burgh, and managed to get his youngest daughter, but 
only the one, released upon paying a fine of 100 merks, 
the last of his scant supply of money. 

Though Margaret Wilson had, in her wildest mo¬ 
ments, not imagined a death so inhuman as hers was to 
be, she was peacefully resigned to suffer this for her 
Christ. Her mother’s and friends’ hysterical pleadings 
to take the oath moved her, but could not induce her to 
an action so weak. 

Therefore, on May 11, the two noble martyrs were 
led out to two stakes erected in the sand, one thirty 
yards in advance of the other. To the foremost the 
widow was led, probably that the girl might be tortured 
by the sight of her drowning struggles before she her¬ 
self went. Inch by inch the water silently, awfully rose. 
Now it was at the widow’s waist. Still it rose slowly 
till it was at her neck and lapped the girl’s feet, as though 
coming hungrily to devour her also. Lagg and others 
began to make sport of the widow as she craned her 
neck to keep her head above water, and directed Mar¬ 
garet’s attention to her death struggles, seeking to in¬ 
timidate her, but she repeated Bible promises to herself 


CAPTAIN WILSON 


375 


and sang a psalm of comfort. When the girl had already 
become unconscious, she was snatched from the water 
and revived, only to be tortured by another offer of the 
abjuration oath. Of course, she remained firm, and was 
cast back into the water and her head was held under the 
water with the butt end of a gun. 

By this cruel act several names were made to stink 
in the nostrils of the world, and the ranks of the Cove¬ 
nanters were greatly increased. 


CAPTAIN WILSON 

The Gospel Hero in the South Sea Islands 

Soon after the London Missionary Society had been 
organized, it was determined to begin mission work in 
the South Sea Islands. The inhabitants of these islands 
were, at that time, perhaps the most degraded human 
beings in the world. But their vileness made them all 
the more needy of the Gospel, and there was some en¬ 
couragement in the fact that there was no trace of per¬ 
verted nominal Christian civilization among them to 
overthrow and that they were naturally a keen-witted 
and observant people who would readily recognize the 
superiority and benefit of the Christian religion. 

Of the large number of candidates who offered them¬ 
selves as missionaries to the people of the islands, twen¬ 
ty-five were selected. They set sail for Tahiti in 1797, 
in charge of Captain Wilson. 

Wilson, who seems to have been providentially 
equipped and suggested for the management of this great 
gospel enterprise, was originally a captain in the British 
army. He did military -service in India during the 



■376 


CAPTAIN WILSON 


French and English war. Though a brave, skillful and 
energetic soldier, he was captured by the French. 

Knowing that he was to be delivered as a prisoner 
to Hyder Ali, the cruel and implacable rajah of Mysore, 
he, at the peril of his life, made his escape from prison. 
After leaping from the prison wall forty feet high he, 
on pursuing his way toward the nearest English garri¬ 
son, swam the Cameroon river, a large and dangerous 
stream, famous for the innumerable number of alligators 
in its waters. Ignorant of this, Wilson boldly plunged 
in, and swam across in safety. 

Unfortunately, however, Wilson was recaptured by 
the troops of Hyder Ali, and although they gazed upon 
him as “a man of God” because of his marvelous escape, 
believing that the gods had protected him from the teeth 
of the alligators, yet they subjected him to the most 
cruel torture. Wilson was stripped of his clothing, was 
driven barefooted and under cruel torture in the burning 
heat of a July sun a distance of five hundred miles to 
Seringapatam, the capital of the bloodthirsty Hyder Ali. 
There he was bound in fetters and along with other pris¬ 
oners cast into a horrible dungeon, where for nearly two 
years he was starved and tortured almost unto death, 
until the close of the war, when the prisoners were re¬ 
leased. 

During all this time Captain Wilson’s life was won¬ 
derfully spared. While the great majority of the pris¬ 
oners with him in the dungeon died and later all other 
Europeans with him aboard a mercantile ship at Ben- 
coolen perished of disease, he alone was spared. Evi¬ 
dently God’s protection had for some great purpose 
spared the life of Captain Wilson. 

Yet, strange to say, during all these years Wilson 
remained unconverted and was even an avowed infidel. 


JOHN WILLIAMS 


377 


Not until later, when, on the homeward voyage, he fell 
in with a returning Baptist missionary, Mr. Thomas, was 
the Captain brought to Christ. Then, however, he was 
soundly converted and became a man of Christian faith. 

After such experiences and after having become in¬ 
terested by an article in the Evangelical Magazine con¬ 
cerning the proposed mission to the South Sea Islands, 
Captain Wilson was aroused in his sympathies and of¬ 
fered himself for the work, asking no pecuniary compen¬ 
sation. Thus, by a long and wonderful series of provi¬ 
dential circumstances, a man of great energy and sagac¬ 
ity was spared and raised up to superintend the inaugu¬ 
ration of a great missionary enterprise that was to prove 
in coming time so remarkably successful in turning the 
heathen in those islands from the darkness of paganism 
to the gospel light of Christianity. 


JOHN WILLIAMS 

The Martyr of Erromanga 

At Tottenham High Cross, near London, England, 
there was born, on the 29th of June, 1796, the future illus¬ 
trious missionary, John Williams. Though his educa¬ 
tion was limited, he showed a degree of mental activity 
and penetration beyond most of his associates, as well 
as a mechanical aptitude afterward turned to good ac¬ 
count. 

Noticing his natural bent, John's parents apprenticed 
him to an ironmonger in City Road. Though exempted 
by his indentures from the heavier work, John was more 
inclined to the anvil and the forge, and often practiced 
with these after finishing his day's work. Consequently 
he soon became an expert handicraftsman, and surpassed 



3/8 


JOHN WILLIAMS 


the other men in dexterity, so that his employer later 
gave him work demanding extreme dexterity in exe¬ 
cution. 

Though his pious parents endeavored to train up 
their son in the ways of religion, young Williams and 
his fellow apprentices were attracted to the frivolous 
amusements afforded by the great city, until one evening, 
while waiting for his companions, he met his employer’s 
wife, Mrs. Tomkin, who reproved him for his abuse of 
the Sabbath and persuaded him to accompany her to 
church. It proved the turning point in his life. The 
topic of the discourse was, “What is a man profited, if 
he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” 
The words sank deeply into his heart; they changed 
his life, for he forsook his old companions and led an 
earnest Christian life thereafter. 

He was not slow to obey his Christian impulses. 
Work in this great, wicked city was not wanting, and 
he was soon identifying himself with the cause of right¬ 
eousness. He gained much useful knowledge in a 
“Youths’ Class” of thirty young Christians, and also took 
up work as a Sunday-school teacher. While thus en¬ 
gaged, he became interested in missions, for which the 
London Missionary Society did much to arouse sympa¬ 
thy. Upon his intimating his desire to become a mis¬ 
sionary to his pastor, Rev. Matthew Wilks, that gentle¬ 
man began to instruct him, together with several others, 
in theology gratuitously, after which the student applied 
to the London Missionary Society for acceptance. He 
was accepted unanimously in July, 1816, and since there 
were urgent calls for more laborers, he was, contrary to 
custom, given only four months in which to prepare 
himself for active service. On the 30th of September 
Williams, with Robert Moffat and eight others, received 


JOHN WILLIAMS 


379 


his designation, Williams being appointed missionary to 
Polynesia, and the parting exhortation of the aged min¬ 
ister, to spare no toil in the Lord's work, ever afterward 
rang in his ears. 

In October he was married to a young devoted wom¬ 
an, admirably fitted to be his companion in his mission¬ 
ary labors; and after being ordained, he and his wife 
set sail for Rio Janeiro on November 17, 1816. Thence 
they had a tedious voyage, and a year elapsed before 
Eimeo, of the Society Islands, was reached. Here he 
remained for a short time, acquiring the native language. 
His mechanical skill gained the confidence of the na¬ 
tives, and admitted him to a close intimacy with them. 

The Almighty Lord in a wonderful way opened the 
way for his messenger. Pomare, the Christian king of 
Tahiti, and an English missionary were driven by a 
storm upon the island of Raiatea, and the evidences of 
the superiority of Christianity induced the chief to peti¬ 
tion for missionaries to instruct his idolatrous people. 
To this invitation Williams joyfully responded, and, upon 
his arrival at Raiatea, was given many presents and a 
grand reception. In spite of this, the condition of the 
people was very discouraging. Though they were will¬ 
ing to attend religious services, observe the Lord’s day 
and to renounce their idols, “their moral condition was 
unutterably debased, their idleness inveterate, their hab¬ 
its of theft, polygamy and infanticide were abominable, 
and their darker and fiercer passions were awful when 
roused to war and vengeance.” 

Williams’ mechanical ingenuity was now brought into 
play, for, to replace the dirty, immoral thatched huts of 
one room, he built, for his own family, a house with win¬ 
dow sashes and Venetian blinds, and filled the rooms 
with new, commodious furniture, almost all of which 


3&> 


JOHN WILLIAMS 


he made with his own hands. The natives were sur¬ 
prised and delighted. Under his instruction they began 
to build houses like his and also improved in gardening 
and boat building. Soon the island was graced by a 
truly Polynesian cathedral, capable of containing three 
thousand people. Its sides were of wattles and its pil¬ 
lars of the trunks of trees. Williams expended special 
care upon the carving of the pulpit and reading desk, 
and fabricated such wonderful chandeliers that the na¬ 
tives were lost in astonishment. 

In three years the island was wonderfully trans¬ 
formed. Where, excepting three hovels, all had been 
wilderness, there was now “a range of three miles along 
the beach, studded with plastered and whitewashed cot¬ 
tages, with their own schooners lying at anchor before 
them. ,, The habits of the people were also altered. Idol 
worship and cruel cannibal orgies were abandoned; in¬ 
fanticide was abolished and divine service was held three 
times every Sunday, while family prayer was universal 
and “the people who had lately seemed as if possessed 
by devils, were ‘sitting clothed in their right mind/ ” 

Not contented with these changes alone, Williams also 
took upon himself the duties of a statesman. He suc¬ 
ceeded in establishing an admirable code of laws by the 
votes of the people in a great assembly. In it trial 
by jury was introduced and such an efficient executive 
board was chosen from among the natives themselves, 
that the whole system worked admirably- He also began 
remunerative commerce, by teaching them how to cul¬ 
tivate cotton and tobacco and how to prepare sugar cane 
for the market, himself making the mill for the purpose. 
Besides this he instructed them in ropemaking and many 
other useful arts. 


JOHN WILLIAMS 


381 


Dissatisfied with even these great results, he now 
organized a missionary society to carry the gospel to the 
surrounding islands, and these recent pagans gave bam- 
, boos and cocoanut oil to the value of about two thousand 
five hundred dollars to carry the light to their neighbors 
still in darkness. 

Williams had heard many strange tales of an island 
called Raratonga and was now anxious to spread the 
Gospel to those people. Though the way did not seem 
open and the island was yet undiscovered, and, though 
the people were said to be fierce and unconquerable, his 
trust in the Lord did not waver and he appealed to Eng¬ 
land for a missionary vessel; but in vain. He then him¬ 
self chartered the schooner “Endeavour, 1 ” and set out with 
some native Christians, in 1822. He was baffled day after 
day in his search, but still persevered. Finally the captain 
reported that the provisions were almost exhausted, and 
that they must give up the search; but Williams prevailed 
upon him to steer on until eight o’clock. At 7:30 o’clock 
a native for the fifth time ascended to the top of the mast, 
when suddenly the cloudmist rolled away and the majes¬ 
tic hills of Raratonga, the chief of the Hervey group, 
loomed up before them. 

Similar results as at Raiatea here rewarded his daring 
perseverence. The whole population renounced idoltary 
within one year, and were engaged in erecting a place of 
worship six hundred feet in length to accommodate the 
overwhelming congregations. But, still not satisfied by 
triumphs like these, he desired to evangelize the whole 
Polynesian world and resolved to build a ship of his own 
for the purpose* 

Though this work would have seemed and been im¬ 
possible to men of average determination, he was 


3&2 


JOHN WILLIAMS 


apparently not discountenanced by obstacles, however 
great. Though the natives could only help in collecting 
the material, and though he had only a few rude tools 
and had himself no experience save that of an iron¬ 
monger’s apprentice, he at once plunged into the work, 
making both tools and ship, and completed his task in 
fifteen weeks! 

He now used his ship, named Messenger of Peace, 
in spreading the Gospel to the surrounding shores. Sail¬ 
ing from island to island, fifty thousand natives were 
soon under his instruction. His kindness and evident 
interest in the welfare of the natives won their love, 
which the grateful people testified in songs and ballads. 

After eighteen years of hallowed labor the heroic man 
could say that he had conveyed the glad tidings of salva¬ 
tion to every island of importance within two thousand 
miles of Tahiti, but still his remarkable energy was not 
yet exhausted. These conquests he regarded as only 
stepping-stones to still greater results to be gained in 
the future. Therefore he resolved, in 1834, to visit Eng¬ 
land to tell of the three hundred thousand savages already 
under religious instruction, to have his Raratongan ver¬ 
sion of the Scriptures printed and to solicit aid in the 
blessed work of rescuing the perishing multitudes. 

His visit was a gratifying success. Missionary en¬ 
thusiasm was aroused to a higher pitch than it had 
attained at any time for a century. When he returned 
on the 11th of April, 1838, he sailed in the Camden, a 
vessel which had been purchased for his use at a cost 
of two thousand six hundred pounds, and was accom¬ 
panied by sixteen other missionaries and their wives. 
The love of many was manifested in countless little favors 
done for him before his departure, and he was followed 


JOHN WILLIAMS 383 

by the prayers of thousands, to whom his visit had been 
a blessing. 

“He had set on the conquest for Christ of the New 
Hebrides, a group whose inhabitants were known to be 
violent and suspicious. He resolved to plant a station 
at Erromanga; but seemed to have a foreboding of his 
coming fate,” for in a farewell visit to his beloved 
Samoans, he chose, as the text for his last address, the 
words: “They all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, 
and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words 
which he spake, that they should see his face no more.” 

Having reached the island, on November 20, 1839, Mr. 
Williams, with a small party, went ashore offered his 
hand to the shy and sullen natives and presented them 
some cloth. “They accepted the gifts, but, as he was 
speaking with some children, a cry of ‘danger’ from the 
boats caused the party to run.” Two escaped, but the 
heroic Williams and Mr. Harris, another missionary, 
were pierced with arrows and captured by the natives. 
The Camden withdrew and a man-of-war, the Favorite, 
was at once dispatched to the island to recover the 
bodies; but the wretched natives confessed that they had 
eaten them. Only the skulls and a few bones could be 
recovered and these were buried at Opulu. 

The Christian world, especially the natives of the 
Society Islands, for whom Mr. Williams had done so 
much, joined Mrs. Williams in mourning for her hus¬ 
band, and well might it, for, “since the days of the 
apostles, no one man was the means of winning so many 
thousands to the true faith of Christ by preaching the 
Gospel as John Williams.” His life of forty-three years 
is short if measured by years, but, if measured by his 
“noble achievements for God and for man, it was long 


38 4 


COUNT ZINZENDORF 


and grand, and glorious.” A great and deserved praise 
is bestowed upon him by his brief, but sententious 
epitaph: “When he came there were no Christians, when 
he left there were no heathen.” 


COUNT ZINZENDORF 

A Friend of the Moravians 

On May 26, 1700, was born a religious genius of 
noble Austrian ancestry. Count Zinzendorf, who, at the 
early age of four years, already distinguished himself as 
a faith hero by the little prayer: “O God, be mine, and 
I will be thine.” Two years later invading soldiers 
found him on his knees in an attitude of prayer, and 
retired awe-stricken. Often he would write letters to 
Jesus, in a sweet, childlike way, and throw them out of 
the window. His heart, mind and body were beautiful; 
he was a brilliant boy. He later distinguished himself 
at the university, but did not forget God. Much of his 
time was devoted to prayer, and he helped others by his 
example; for when he left Halle he left behind seven 
prayer circles organized through his own influence. 

Zinzendorf’s friends did not approve of his religious 
spirit, and sent him abroad, hoping that travel and seeing 
the world would cool his religious ardor; but they were 
mistaken. In Paris, when asked by a countess whether 
he had attended the opera, he answered, “Madam, I 
have no time to go to the opera.” At another time he 
expressed his attitude to the Lord in saying: “I would 
rather be despised and hated for Christ’s sake than loved 
for my own.” “I have one passion; it is He, He alone.” 
Is it a wonder that God could make great use of this man? 



COUNT ZINZENDORF 


385 


Among the early persecuted Christians were the 
Bohemians, Moravians and Waldensians, worthy suc¬ 
cessors of John Huss and Jerome of Prague. In the 
fifteenth century they made a compact ever since known 
as the Unitas Fratrum, which lived on through successive 
generations of persecutions, though oftentimes almost 
extinguished, still kept up by its brave and faithful mem¬ 
bers. Their Bibles were burned and property confiscated, 
while they themselves were tortured, driven into exile 
and killed. Still they clung to their faith, meeting in 
secret places in forests or caves, or across the border 
line, away from bitter, bloody, persecuting Austria. 

In 1722, Count Zinzendorf purchased the estate of 
Berthelsdorf and set aside its revenues for the support 
of the Moravain refugees. He was absent on his wedding 
tour when their first settlement upon this estate was 
made, but, on the evening of his return, he called upon 
the poor people, prayed with them and gave them his 
benediction. Thence forward he was to them a fatherly 
protector and friend. 

While attending the coronation ceremonies of Chris¬ 
tian VI. of Denmark, Zinzendorf met three very interest¬ 
ing persons, two Eskimos who had been baptized by 
the Missionary Hans Egede, and a Christian slave from 
the island of St. Thomas. These gave him the idea of 
founding two missions, one among the negro slaves of 
the West Indies, and the other among Greenland’s icy 
mountains. On his return he spoke of this to his Mora¬ 
vian friends, and to his joyful surprise, he found four 
prayerful brethren ready to offer themselves for the 
work. One man named Dober declared himself willing 
to be sold into slavery, if he could thus only reach the 
West Indies’ salves. In 1732, this man and another 


386 


COUNT ZINZENDORF 


started for the island of St. Thomas with but three 
dollars each in their pockets. 

To give any adequate conception of the glorious mis¬ 
sionary labor of the Unitas Fratrum, which now extends 
over more than 150 years, is impossible in these pages. 
In the islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John of 
the West Indies, among the wildernesses of South Amer¬ 
ica, far into the interior of our own blessed land among 
the savage tribes of the Indians, in the frozen north of 
Alaska and Greenland, in Labrador and in South Africa; 
indeed, in almost every benighted land of the globe their 
churches, as well as their graves, abound. 

Count Zinzendorf’s bust holds a merited place in the 
Walhalla, near Ratisbon, and in his epitaph are found 
the words, “He was ordained that he should go and bring 
forth fruit, and that his fruit should remain.” His broad 
viewpoint of the world and of his mission in it he evinced 
by the following words, spoken at a church conference 
in Holland in 1741: “The whole earth is the Lord’s; all 
men’s souls are His; I am a debtor to all.” 

THE END. 




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